Centre for Food Safety

Romaine lettuce

All romaine lettuce imported from the US and Canada

• The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department, through its routine Food Incident Surveillance System, learnt on November 21 that there were reports in the United States (US) and Canada about outbreaks of Escherichia coli (E. coli) infection that might be linked to the consumption of romaine lettuce contaminated with E. coli.

• The CFS immediately contacted the US and Canadian authorities for more information (including about the place of origin of the affected romaine lettuce). The Centre also, starting from November 21, held all romaine lettuce imported from the US and Canada for testing at the import level, which will only be released to the market upon satisfactory test results.
• The CFS has also enhanced surveillance of romaine lettuce from the two countries at retail level.
• The CFS will continue to closely monitor the latest developments of the incident in the US and Canada and take appropriate follow-up action.

• Retailers have voluntarily removed the product concerned from shelves.

• For the sake of prudence, the CFS urges the public not to consume romaine lettuce from the US, Canada and unknown sources.

The CFS press release