If you are like most people, you love the taste of crisp, fresh romaine lettuce in a sandwich and in your salads. Unfortunately, the romaine lettuce in your refrigerator might be tainted with a strain of E. coli.
The tainted lettuce in question has been shipped across the United States and Canada. In fact, two people have already perished following an E. coli infection. The E. coli outbreak has spread to at least a dozen states and parts of Canada.
Protect Your Family against E. Coli
Plenty of people assume they can simply wash their romaine lettuce with tap water from the kitchen faucet or a spray nozzle. This is a grave mistake. Do not assume a stream of water will wash the E. coli off your romaine lettuce or other food. The only way to eliminate the potential for E. coli poisoning is to completely avoid romaine lettuce for the time being. Wait until the outbreak ends before re-implementing romaine lettuce into your diet.
Food safety experts caution that E. coli and other forms of bacteria cannot be fully cleaned with a washing. The unfortunate truth is even a small amount of such bacteria has the potential to make you extremely ill. It is especially challenging to completely remove bacteria from romaine lettuce and other leafy greens. Bacteria sticks to the surface of leaves and settles into tiny crevices. E. coli can even move on down into the interior of romaine lettuce and other produce.
Is Trashing Romaine Lettuce the Only Option?
Plenty of consumers will assume they can wash their romaine lettuce in water or a combination of water and baking soda to eliminate the E. coli, pesticide residue, debris and dirt. However, food safety professionals agree washing produce is not an effective means of removing E. coli or any other bacteria. These food safety gurus also agree organic romaine lettuce is just as dangerous as romaine lettuce grown with pesticides. There is no evidence suggesting organic produce is less vulnerable to outbreaks of E. coli.
Make a beeline to your refrigerator. If you find organic or regular romaine lettuce, throw it out without second thought. You can also try to return the romaine lettuce to the store where you bought to obtain a refund.
If you are absolutely insistent on eating the romaine lettuce, the only way to ensure it is safe is to cook it at a temperature equal to or greater than 160 degrees Fahrenheit. However, it is awfully difficult to take the temperature of romaine lettuce as it is cooked as it is a leafy green as opposed to a slab of meat.
If you do no mind the taste of cooked romaine lettuce, cook it all the way until it fully wilts. Once wilting is reached, your romaine lettuce will be safe to consume. Alternatively, if you dislike the taste of cooked romaine lettuce, substitute spinach, baby kale or arugula in its place for your salad or other dish.
Can Romaine Lettuce be Trusted in the Future?
It is interesting to note United States food safety and health officials and Consumer Reports regularly shift back and forth between advising against the consumption of romaine lettuce and declaring an end to the outbreak of E. coli. The bottom line is there is no way to know if romaine lettuce will be safe to eat after the current E. coli outbreak ends.
As an example, the federal government announced an end to the E. coli outbreak tied to leafy greens like romaine lettuce this past January. However, Consumer Reports notified the public about a new E. coli outbreak four months later. Be on the safe side by opting for spinach or kale as opposed to romaine lettuce.
Signs of E. Coli Poisoning
If you have consumed romaine lettuce or anything else linked to E. coli, be hyper-aware of how you feel and the manner in which your body responds to this sustenance. It usually takes about three days after exposure to E. coli bacteria to experience symptoms. If you feel even slightly nauseous, experience vomiting, endure abdominal cramping or have diarrhea, meet with your doctor right away.
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