Target (NYSE:TGT) Joins Other Stores In Recalling Contaminated Lettuce From Salinas

Target Corporation (NYSE:TGT) has joined Walmart Inc. (NYSE:WMT) in recalling salad products that came from California. Various supply chains in the US have recalled the products after federal agencies warned of the possibility of contamination with E. coli bacteria.

E.coli found in Salinas romaine lettuce

The stores acted on warnings form the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention and the FDA following reports of around 40 E. coli infection cases. The cases reported nationwide might have resulted from salad products originating from the Salinas area.

Frank Yiannas, the FDA Food Policy, and Response Deputy Commissioners, warned consumers against eating unlabelled romaine lettuce. He said that if the romaine lettuce does not have information where it originated or its growing area, consumers should avoid using it. However, Yiannas affirmed that retailers and consumers could continue using romaine lettuce grown indoors or coming from outside Salinas.

Yiannas said that the E. coli outbreak was a tragedy across the supply chain, and thus, there is a need to do more to ensure the safety of consumers.

The agency indicated that the affected romaine lettuce include all types grown in the Salinas area. According to the agency, they include whole romaine from head to heart, leaves, and precut lettuce. CDC’s lead investigator on the E. coli outbreak Laura Gieraltowski raised concerns that there is a possibility of the romaine being in other products.

No death cases reported from E. coli infection

So far, around 16 states have reported cases of E. coli with close to 28 people hospitalized at the end of last month. According to the CDC, the first case was reported on September 24. The warnings came after the Department of Agriculture indicated that Missa Bay in Swedesboro, New Jersey had recalled over 75,000 of the salad products on suspicion of E. coli tainting.

Although there are no fatalities reported yet as a result of the outbreak, there five cases of people developing kidney failure. E. coli bacteria O152: H7 usually causes bloody diarrhea, body cramps as well as vomiting. Unfortunately, symptoms can only begin to manifest after around four days after ingesting the bacteria.

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