Freshway recalls Romaine lettuce

May 8, 2010 at 12:00a.m.

Associated Press

WASHINGTON

Lettuce grown in Yuma, Ariz., may be the source of a widespread E. coli outbreak in romaine lettuce that has sickened at least 19 people and prompted a recall in 23 states, including Ohio and Pennsylvania.

Federal investigators are looking at a farm in Yuma as a possible source for the outbreak, according to the distributor who sold the lettuce.

Freshway Foods of Sidney, Ohio, said Thursday it recalled lettuce sold in 23 states and the District of Columbia because of a possible link to an E. coli outbreak that has sickened at least 19 people — three with life-threatening illness.

College students at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, Ohio State in Columbus and Daemen College in Amherst, N.Y., are among those who were affected by the outbreak, according to health departments in those states. The health officials said most of the victims were sickened in April and already have recovered.

Vice president Devon Beer said Freshway Foods worked with the Food and Drug Administration to trace the contaminated lettuce to a Yuma grower, whom he would not identify.

The recall applies only to romaine lettuce with “best if used by” date before or on May 12, when Freshway Foods stopped buying its romaine from Yuma, Beer said.

Officials in Arizona also confirmed the investigation. Laura Oxley, a spokeswoman for Arizona’s agriculture and health departments, said federal officials contacted them and told them they suspected the source of the E. coli outbreak was lettuce grown in the state.

The Yuma area is the source of much of the nation’s winter lettuce crop.

Freshway Foods said Thursday it was recalling romaine lettuce sold under the Freshway and Imperial Sysco brands.

No contamination was found at the company’s processing plant, according to the FDA.

E. coli infection can cause mild diarrhea or more severe complications, including kidney damage.