Here We Go Again......

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Lettuce recalled over E. coli concerns. Epidemiologists also warned

consumers this week to stay away from some bottled carrot juice after

a Florida woman was paralyzed and three people in Georgia experienced

respiratory failure, apparently due to botulism poisoning.

 

 

By RACHEL KONRAD, Associated Press Writer

 

SAN FRANCISCO - Less than a week after the Food and Drug

Administration lifted its warning on fresh spinach grown in

California's Salinas Valley, a popular brand of lettuce grown there

has been recalled over concerns about E. coli contamination.

 

The lettuce does not appear to have caused any illnesses, Salinas-

based Nunes Co. Inc. said in a statement.

 

The company initiated a voluntary recall Sunday of green leaf lettuce

purchased last week under the Foxy brand name. Foxy is one of the

nation's largest suppliers of lettuce, celery, broccoli, vegetable

platters and stir-fry mixes.

 

The recall covered lettuce purchased in grocery stores Oct. 3-6 in

Arizona, California, Nevada, Washington, Oregon, Idaho and Montana.

It was also sold to distributors in those states who may have sold it

to restaurants.

 

The recalled lettuce was packaged as " Green Leaf 24 Count, waxed

carton, " and " Green Leaf 18 Count, cellophane sleeve, returnable

carton. " Packaging is stamped with lot code 6SL0024.

 

Executives ordered the recall after learning that water used to

irrigate lettuce fields may have been contaminated with E. coli,

according to the company statement. E. coli can proliferate in

uncooked produce, raw milk, unpasteurized juice, contaminated water

and meat.

 

Vice President Tom Nunes Jr. and attorney Brett R. Harrell did not

respond Sunday to phone calls and an e-mail seeking comment.

 

FDA spokeswoman Julie Zawisza said the agency is aware of the

voluntary recall but had no details.

 

" As a standard course of action, we would expect the firm to identify

the source of the contamination and take steps to ... ensure that it

doesn't happen again, " Zawisza wrote in an e-mail Sunday.

 

It's unclear whether any bacteria in the Salinas Valley lettuce

fields could have come from the same source as the E. coli found in

spinach that has sickened nearly 200 people and has been linked to

three deaths nationwide.

 

Pathogenic Escherichia coli bacteria, or E. coli, may cause diarrhea

and bloody stools. Although most healthy adults recover within a week

without long-term side effects, some people may develop a form of

kidney failure.

 

That illness is most likely to occur in young children, senior

citizens and people with compromised immune systems. In extreme

cases, it can lead to kidney damage or death.

 

The recall at Nunes Co., a family-owned business with more than

20,000 acres of cropland in Arizona and California, comes days after

federal agents searched two Salinas Valley produce companies

connected to the nationwide spinach scare.

 

Epidemiologists also warned consumers this week to stay away from

some bottled carrot juice after a Florida woman was paralyzed and

three people in Georgia experienced respiratory failure, apparently

due to botulism poisoning.

 

Janis