It's time for the holidays and if you're making a Thanksgiving food dish that involves lettuce, make sure to double check it! Target, Walmart, Wegmans, Aldi, Sam's Club and others across the U.S. have recalled salad products that originated in California and it could be contaminated with E. Coli. There have been at least 40 cases of E. Coli have been reported nationwide that harvested in the Salinas area. The FDA Deputy Commissioner for Food Policy and Response Frank Yiannas said in a statement,
"If romaine lettuce does not have labeling information for its growing area or the source cannot be confirmed, consumers should not eat or use the romaine. Restaurants and retailers should not serve or sell romaine lettuce if they cannot confirm it is from outside Salinas."
If you have Romaine lettuce that was harvested outside of Salinas or was grown indoors, you can continue using it. However, all types of romaine lettuce grown in Salinas including whole heads to hearts of romaine, packages of pre-cut lettuce and leaves included in salad mixes should be avoided. No deaths have been reported so far, but five people have developed a kidney failure condition. If you have Romaine lettuce in your fridge, make sure to double check it!