The Tribune

By MORGAN ADDERLEY

Tribune Staff Reporter

madderley@tribunemedia.net

SUPER Value President Rupert Roberts yesterday said the grocery store chain will likely not pull any lettuce or turkey products from its shelves in the wake of warnings issued by the Bahamas Agricultural Health and Food Safety Authority on these goods.

Mr Roberts said instead the company will apply warnings to the products and allow consumers to choose whether or not they wish to buy or consume.

The BAHFSA yesterday advised local consumers, retailers, and wholesalers to “voluntarily throw out” any lettuce purchased from stores selling US derived lettuce products following the recent E coli outbreak and warning of romaine lettuce in the United States, which has caused over 30 illnesses in the US.

The BAHFSA also cautioned consumers about the “ongoing outbreak” in raw turkey products associated with an antibiotic-resistant strain of salmonella. It noted the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has recalled all raw ground turkey due to this outbreak, which has been linked to over 160 illnesses and one death in the US.

The BAHFSA noted there have been no incidents in the Bahamas associated with either of these outbreaks and also advised all consumers to exercise “extreme caution and be vigilant” while handling, preparing, and cooking raw turkey this Thanksgiving.

When asked if Super Value is going to dump any of its lettuce products, Mr Roberts told The Tribune: “We’re deciding. I think we’re going to warn (consumers) there could be a problem, you buy at your own risk, or eat at your own risk.

“We put the warnings on the product that we’ve had that the US Food and Agriculture warned about,” he said, adding he personally will continue to consume romaine lettuce.

Regarding the Jenny-O Turkey Store’s self-recall over 91,000 raw turkey products, Mr Roberts said Super Value does not carry that brand.

He added the stores carry one brand of ground turkey, Carolina Pride.

When asked if Super Value will continue selling that brand or if it will post any warnings, he said: “Consumers are well-informed. We’re going to continue selling that brand because there’s no problem with it.”

However, he added, the warnings from the BAHFSA press statement are “going to be posted on the product” in question.

Regarding raw turkeys, Mr Roberts said: “There’s no problem with turkeys, other than the problem that you have every year you have to cook your turkey properly and make sure the inside’s cooked and so on, so forth.”

However, he said concerns about raw turkeys will be posted in stores.

“That’s going to be posted on the raw turkeys that we sell, the concern. You put the warnings on the...product and people can decide if they want to eat or they don’t want to eat it, but there’s no recall.

“Let the consumer decide if they want to buy it or consume it,” Mr Roberts said.

Barbara Lockhart, manager of Sea Shells restaurant, said the business has pulled lettuce, does not carry ground turkey, and is “aware” of the warnings associated with raw turkey.

Warning

In its press release, BAHFSA wrote: “The recent E coli outbreak and warning of romaine lettuce in the US is hereby extended to consumers in the Bahamas to voluntarily throw out any lettuce they may have bought from stores selling US derived lettuce products. The US Centre for Disease Control (CDC) and Prevention is still in the process of a traceability study to determine the origin of the outbreak; hence, no recall has been made.”

It noted 18 illnesses have been reported in Canada and of the 32 reported US illnesses, 13 have required hospital care.

“However, those who continue to consume this product, do it at their own risk,” the statement continued, and provided a list of steps consumers should take to mitigate their risk of illness. These included thoroughly washing hands before handling lettuce and rinsing it “with a three or four to one ratio of water to vinegar using a spray bottle to remove any microbial presence then again with water.”

“Persons who consume contaminated lettuce may experience the effects of the illness 12 to 24 hours or up to a week after ingestion in the form of vomiting, stomach cramps, diarrhea, fever or loss of appetite,” the BAHFSA said.

Regarding the salmonella outbreak, BAHFSA said: “Just one week before the 2018 Thanksgiving holiday, the USDA has recalled all raw ground turkey due to this outbreak. Many types and brands of turkey have been linked to the over 160 illnesses reported, three hospitalisations and one death in the US. The outbreak strain has been found in raw turkey products, including raw turkey pet food and live turkeys.”

Symptoms of illness are similar to those of the E coli outbreak, and BAHFSA noted young children, the elderly, pregnant, and immune-compromised people may experience a “more severe level of illness.”

“Further, BAHFSA wishes to caution those who grocery shop in the US to discard any lettuce or named Jenny-O brand turkey products they may have brought upon their return into the country and have in the refrigerator and to exercise caution in purchasing all raw turkey products.”

Those who may have travelled to the US and consumed turkey products and have become ill should make a report with the Surveillance Unit at the Ministry of Health.

“A warning is also hereby given to local retailers and wholesalers who may have any of these items in their inventory to, in the case of the romaine lettuce voluntarily remove them from the shelf and to discard any Jenny-O brand Turkey products named in the recall,” the BAHFSA said.