The recall affects lettuce sold between October 3rd and 6th. The lettuce had been shipped from Salinas Valley to at least seven other states.
The Nunes Company of Salinas, which makes the Foxy brand, voluntarily recalled the lettuce after the company discovered that irrigation water may have contaminated it. The company had learned that the irrigation water contained a strain of the E. coli bacterium.This lettuce recall follows an outbreak of E. coli in spinach last month. Three people died and almost 200 more became ill after eating contaminated spinach.
E. coli which may have caused the spinach contamination has been found near two Salinas Valley farms. Spinach processed by Natural Selection Foods LLC has not yet been declared safe to eat. Investigators searched Salinas Valley to determine the source of the spinach outbreak. So far, they have narrowed their search to 12 fields.
In those fields, eight samples have tested positive for E. coli 0157:H7, the toxic strain of E. coli. E. coli is normally found in the digestive system of humans and other mammals. However, E. coli in pastures can contaminate spinach and other produce if it winds up in irrigation water or runoff. Something as simple as a worker's boot can cause contamination if that boot comes into contact with E. coli and is then used in a field without first being cleaned.
The spinach E. coli outbreak is the ninth in the past decade that can be traced back to Salinas Valley. It is also the 20th case nationally in the same time period. Salinas Valley produces two-thirds of the spinach in the United States. Many of the waterways in the Salinas Valley may be contaminated with E. coli.
Although most people can recover from E. coli exposure, the bacterium can cause kidney failure. Children and seniors are at an elevated risk of E. coli related kidney failure. Approximately 60 people die each year from E. coli exposure. However, there are also 73,000 cases in which people are infected with the E. coli bacterium.
Symptoms of E. coli infection include severe stomach cramps, diarrhea, nausea and vomiting.
The most common E. coli exposure occurs when people eat undercooked, contaminated ground beef. However, people can also become infected by eating fresh leafy vegetables including lettuce and spinach if those vegetables have been in contact with the E. coli bacterium.
There are a few things you can do to avoid E. coli contamination. Keep your food refrigerated. Washing your produce before eating it can help prevent an E. coli infection. However, it may not remove the bacterium entirely. Always thoroughly cook ground beef. If you believe you have been exposed to the E. coli bacterium, contact your doctor immediately.