The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and other agencies are investigating 40 confirmed cases of E. coli linked to romaine lettuce harvested from Salinas, California.  There have been no confirmed cases in Utah yet, but illnesses have been reported in all other Western states except Utah and Oregon.  Customers who have romaine lettuce grown in the Salinas area are urged to return it to their retailer or dispose of it, according to Utah Department of Agriculture and Food (UADF) Commissioner Kerry Gibson.  This includes whole heads of romaine, hearts of romaine, and packages of precut lettuce and salad mixes that contain romaine.

If you have romaine lettuce at home, the CDC and UADF advise:

Look for a label showing where the romaine lettuce was grown,  It may be printed on the package or on a sticker.

If the label says “Salina” (whether alone or with the name of another location), don’t eat it, and throw it away.

If it isn’t labeled with a growing region, don’t eat it, and throw it away.

If you don’t know if the lettuce is romaine or whether a salad mix contains romaine, don’t eat it, and throw it away.

Wash and sanitize drawers or shelves in refrigerators where romaine lettuce was store.