Romaine lettuce again at center of food alert

[suffragette]

https://www.king5.com/article/news/nation-world/salads-wraps-from-trader-joes-kroger-and-walgreens-may-be-contaminated-with-parasite/507-579210908

The United States Department of Agriculture is alerting consumers of the potential contamination of beef, pork and poultry salad and wrap products sold nationwide to stores including Trader Joe's, Kroger and Walgreen's.
~~~
Caito Foods discovered the issue when their lettuce supplier, Fresh Express, sent notification that the chopped romaine used in some of their salads and wraps was being recalled, according to the FSIS. The affected items were distributed nationwide to stores including Trader Joe's, Kroger and Walgreen's.
The potentially affected items were produced between July 15-18, with a "best by," "enjoy by," "best if sold by" or "sell by" date ranging from July 18-23, according to the FSIS. The products will also include the establishment number “EST. 39985 or P-39985” near the USDA mark of inspection.

https://www.fsis.usda.gov/wps/wcm/connect/1827c9ab-6a03-4020-a74e-e8b2d5e7e8dc/List-USDA-Product-PHA-Cyclospora.pdf?MOD=AJPERES

Something that bothers me is the way the info about the romaine lettuce being recalled is only given down in the middle of the article.

This is at least the 3rd time this year there have been reported issues with processed romaine.

First one started around November or December, then went on into 2018.
Second was in April.

https://democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1014&pid=2037810

https://upload.democraticunderground.com/10141954295

[msongs]

1. hint hint. not the lettuc3 causing the problem. nt

[suffragette]

2. Actually, yes it is the lettuce

[Flaleftist]

5. Is it the lettuce?

Or is it the processes in harvesting and production?

[suffragette]

8. Good point. It might be the process. Still, the lettuce is what is being affected and why the alerts

and recalls happen for it and the items prepared with it.

[StarryNite]

3. Grrr I just bought some Romaine today!

After showing my photo ID of course!

[suffragette]

6. I like romaine, especially in the hot summer (and it has been far too hot this July).

But there have been far too many issues linked to problems with it this year and the reporting has been after the fact, or in the early part of the year only done after Canadian food safety and Consumer Reports sounded the alarm.

Even in this latest instance, they buried the lede by emphasizing the salads and wraps had the meat component. At first read of the headline and article the problem seems to stem from the meat, but after reading more closely, it is clear it is the romaine lettuce - again.

at the ID for groceries reference - good one.

[Blue_true]

13. Dissolve 2 tablespoons of iodized salt in a large container of water that can go in the fridge.

Tear the leaves off the romaine, rinse each one free of residue, shake off the rinse water and put it into the salted water. Once all leaves are in the container, close it and put it in the fridge for a few hours or over night. It is best if you can force all leaves to 100% submerge in the salt water. In the morning, rinse each leaf under cool water and either use it, or bag it and put it into your fridge crisper.

I have used the procedure for years on lettuce I eat at home, never gotten sick.

If anything survives the salt solution, that was one really nasty bugger, most common bacteria or coli won't survive well enough to sicken you.

[pansypoo53219]

14. that or do not buy LAZY food. avoid pre made/pre-cut. i try & avoid hearts.

i can prune it myself. recently discovered romaine.

[Blue_true]

15. I never buy precut vegetables, even frozen ones.

I do use canned corn for soups and gravies.

Good for you starting with the whole lettuce head and controlling the sanitation on it before you eat it. I wish more people did that, there would be less food born illness. I worked in the food industry while in college, that is why I make sure that I control my food as much as possible and eat only in clean places. A person can tell a lot from how clean a restaurant dining room and restroom is, if they are dirty, don't eat from the kitchen, leave.

[Crunchy Frog]

4. Why does our lettuce keep getting shit all over it?

[oasis]

9. Could it be the pickers have a gripe with a disagreeable fella?

[suffragette]

12. Crappy growing and handling processes?

Sorry, couldn’t resist

[smirkymonkey]

7. Damn. I love romaine lettuce. It's so refreshing in the summer.

Why is it just romaine and not other greens?

[suffragette]

10. Me, too. Especially when it's too hot, which it has been here in July. Good question about why

it seems to be romaine so often this year. Maybe it’s because it’s being used more often, particularly in items that used to use iceberg for the crispness.

Read some more and noticed that McD’s salads containing romaine also had an issue in May, so that’s yet another case this year. I will add that to OP or post in thread.

[suffragette]

11. Add the McDonald's romaine salad contamination to the ones in OP.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/food/2018/07/20/mcdonalds-tainted-salads-sickened-people-cyclospora-parasite-fecal-matter/806682002/

Contamination problem: McDonald's tainted salads have now sickened 163 people in 10 states

"We have removed lettuce blend provided by Fresh Express’ Streamwood, Illinois, facility," the fast-food burger chain said in a statement Friday. "Many restaurants already have a new lettuce blend supply, while we expect all identified restaurants will have new supply in the next few days."

The illnesses started on or after May 1, according to the FDA. The sick people are between the ages of 16 and 87 years old and 66 percent are female. No deaths have been reported.

"At this time, despite the intensive investigation by federal authorities and state health agencies around the country, no source has yet been named for this outbreak," Fresh Express said in an e-mail. "The decision by McDonald’s to change suppliers of certain components should in no way suggest that Fresh Express is implicated as a source."

Illnesses that started after June 7 may not have been reported yet because there's a lag time between when people get sick and when they report it, the FDA said. For Cyclospora infections, it may take up to six weeks to be clearly identified.

Excerpt from FDA about this. More at link.
https://www.fda.gov/Food/RecallsOutbreaksEmergencies/Outbreaks/ucm613513.htm
Fast Facts

The FDA, CDC, along with state and local officials are investigating a multi-state outbreak of cyclosporiasis illnesses likely linked to salads from McDonald's restaurants.
On July 26, 2018, the FDA completed final analysis of an unused package of Fresh Express salad mix containing romaine lettuce and carrots, which had been distributed to McDonald's. The analysis confirmed the presence of Cyclospora in that sample, though the expiration date for that product, July 19, had already passed. On July 27, the FDA informed Fresh Express of the results.
FDA instructed Fresh Express to determine whether potentially contaminated product may still be on the market. Fresh Express reported to FDA that the romaine from the same lot as the positive sample was not packaged for direct retail sale by Fresh Express and had already expired. Fresh Express committed to using recall procedures to inform those companies that received this romaine about the sample result. Fresh Express also reported that carrots used in the mix were only sent to McDonald's locations.
On July 30, 2018, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) issued a public health alert on beef, pork and poultry salad and wrap products potentially contaminated with Cyclospora that were distributed by Caito Foods LLC, of Indianapolis, IN. The products were produced between July 15 and 18, 2018, with either “Best By,” “Enjoy by,” “Best if Sold By” or “Sell By” dates ranging from July 18 through July 23, 2018. Caito Foods had received notification from Fresh Express that the chopped romaine in these products was being recalled.
The CDC reports that 286 people in 15 states have become ill. There have been 11 hospitalizations and no deaths.
The investigation is ongoing and the FDA is currently reviewing distribution and supplier information for romaine and carrots.