Romaine Lettuce Recall Linked to Rare E. Coli Strain

May 7, 2010— -- Federal officials announced a multistate recall of shredded romaine lettuce sold to wholesalers, restaurants and in "grab and go" packages after least 19 people fell ill from an uncommon strain of E. coli that is not always included in laboratory tests for infections.

Twelve people have been hospitalized since April 10, 2010, and three people developed kidney failure, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said in a press release.

Freshway Foods of Sidney, Ohio, voluntarily recalled lettuce sold in 23 states under the Freshway and Imperial Sysco brands.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced that consumers should discard the recalled bags with a "best if used by" date of May 12 or earlier. Lettuce with "best if used by" date after May 12 are not included in the recall.

Recalled bags of shredded lettuce were sold to Kroger, Giant Eagle, Ingles Markets and Marsh grocery stores, according to The Associated Press.

States affected by the recall include: Alabama, Connecticut, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Missouri, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia and Wisconsin.

Local health officials were alerted by an outbreak of the O145 E. coli among college students at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, Ohio State in Columbus and Daemen College in Amherst, N.Y., according to the AP.

Vice president of Freshway Foods Devon Beer told the AP that federal officials have traced the contaminated lettuce to a farm in Yuma, Ariz.

Food safety experts said the O145 strain of E. coli that caused this outbreak is one of six toxic E. coli strains outside of the more common O157 strain, which causes most E. coli related illnesses.

As a result, the O145 strain is not always included in laboratory tests for E. coli.

"Most laboratories may not have the capacity to identify this particular strain," said Philip M. Tierno, director of clinical microbiology and immunology at New York University Langone Medical Center in New York City.