The Tribune

By SYANN THOMPSON

Tribune Staff Reporter

sthompson@tribunemedia.net

THE BAHAMAS Agricultural Food and Safety Authority is warning consumers about two US recalls of over 75,000 pounds of salad products and a variety of lettuces contaminated with E. coli.

BAHFSA issued a press statement asking the public to dispose of any of the recalled products, which include lettuce grown in the Salinas Valley region in California and Missa Bay salad products.

The public health alert came after consumers were urged to avoid lettuce grown in the Salinas Valley region after 40 people fell sick sick and 28 were hospitalised due to the E. coli breakout in the United States. The US Centre for Disease Control and Prevention and the Food and Drug Administration advised that all lettuces (hearts, heads or pre-cut packaged) and salad mixes (baby romaine, spring mix and Caesar) from the Salinas Valley region should be thrown out and not eaten.

While shopping at the grocery store or checking your refrigerator for items, BAHFSA advises that consumers are able to identify recalled lettuce from the Salinas valley region by checking the label on the lettuce packaging.

Meantime, the US Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service also announced that Missa Bay recalled over 75,000 pounds of salad products that contain meat or poultry because the lettuce may be contaminated with the bacteria E. coli.

The company said it made the decision to recall due to the fear of the packaged salads with meat contaminating romaine lettuce. Over 30 packaged salad products with tainted romaine were produced from October 14-16 and have with “use by” dates of October 28 and November 1, 2019.

From the Missa Bay products, 17 persons have been infected with E. coli with no deaths reported. The E. coli contamination has caused seven hospitalisations, two of which developed kidney failure.

To date, the Ministry of Health has had no local reports of illnesses from the recalled products. E. coli symptoms appear with vomiting, stomach cramping and diarrhea, usually after three to four days of eating the contaminated food.

BAHFSA is advising members of the public who believe they may have consumed any of the recalled products to visit the nearest clinic. A list of the recalled products can be found at https://www.fsis.usda.gov