The Food and Drug Administration of the United States

Romaine lettuce

Romaine lettuce produced in the State of Arizona, the United States (US)

• The Centre for Food Safety (CFS), through its Food Incident Surveillance System, noted a notice from the US Food and Drug Administration about the investigation of an outbreak of E coli infections that was likely linked to the consumption of romaine lettuce produced in the State of Arizona, which was suspected to be contaminated with E coli O157:H7. For the sake of prudence, the CFS has immediately suspended the import into and sale within Hong Kong of romaine lettuce produced in the area concerned.

• The CFS has informed the US authorities concerned of the import suspension and alerted the trade. It will continue to closely monitor the incident and take appropriate follow-up action.
• The CFS has also enhanced surveillance of romaine lettuce produced in the US at import and retail levels.

• The trade should stop using or selling it if they possess the product concerned.

• People will contract E. coli causing gastro-intestinal disease through consumption of contaminated water or undercooked and contaminated foods. Intestinal bleeding and serious complications such as hemolytic uraemic syndrome (HUS) may also develop in some people.
• Moreover, due to poor personal hygiene, person-to-person transmission of this pathogen is possible through the oral-faecal route.
• E. coli cannot survive under high temperature and can be killed by thorough cooking.

The CFS press release