Skip the Caesar Salad for a Bit – Romaine Lettuce E. Coli Outbreak in the Midwest
The CDC can't quite recall romaine lettuce sold in the U.S. yet, but be warned that there's an E. coli outbreak happening right now and seems to be tied to the lettuce.
In a recent release from the CDC, there's been multiple reports of people getting very ill after eating food containing romaine lettuce. They haven't pinpointed the exact source of the bad lettuce yet, so they can't send out a recall notice officially until they've identified where the specific problem comes from.
There have been no reports in Minnesota yet, but nearby states in the Midwest have reported illness, including Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, and Nebraska. Canada is also reporting a larger outbreak than the U.S. and is warning residents to avoid eating romaine lettuce until they've figured out the source.
E. coli is not something to mess with. It can cause serious illness and even death. This particular strain (O157:H7) causes symptoms that include: nausea, fevers, diarrhea, and more. See the full symptoms list here.
It might be a good idea to avoid that delicious caeser salad for now, or anything that contains romaine lettuce, until the CDC and FDA can get a grip on this issue.