The fast-food chain Wendy’s says it is pulling lettuce from sandwiches in its restaurants in Michigan, Ohio and Pennsylvania after people eating them there reported falling ill.
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said on Friday it was trying to determine whether romaine lettuce in Wendy’s sandwiches was the source of an E coli outbreak that has sickened over 30 people – and whether romaine used by the chain was also served or sold at other businesses.
The CDC said one person in Indiana was also sickened. A message was left with Wendy’s about lettuce on sandwiches in that state.
There is no evidence that romaine sold in grocery stores is linked to the E coli outbreak in question, according to the CDC. The agency also said it is not advising people to stop eating at Wendy’s nor abstain from eating romaine lettuce.
Wendy’s says lettuce used in its salads is different from the lettuce in its sandwiches and is therefore not affected by its decision to pull the lettuce from sandwiches. The company said it was cooperating with the CDC.
“While the CDC has not yet confirmed a specific food as the source of that outbreak, we are taking the precaution of discarding and replacing the sandwich lettuce at some restaurants in that region,” the fast-food giant said in a statement. “The lettuce that we use in our salads is different and is not affected by this action.
“As a company, we are committed to upholding our high standards of food safety and quality.”
At least 37 people had been affected by the outbreak strain of E coli as of Thursday. They ranged in age from six to 91, with a median age of 21 years old. According to the CDC, 62% of the group was male.
Although symptoms vary, people who get sick from E coli usually experience stomach cramps, bloody diarrhea and vomiting.
Ten people have been hospitalized. Out of those 10, three people in Michigan had developed a type of kidney failure called hemolytic uremic syndrome, the CDC said.
“The true number of sick people in this outbreak is likely higher than the number reported, and the outbreak may not be limited to the states with known illnesses,” CDC officials said.
Referring to a national laboratory that connects cases of foodborne, waterborne and other illness with the aim of detecting outbreaks, the agency added: “This is because some of the recent illnesses have not yet been reported to PulseNet as it usually takes three to four weeks to determine if a sick person is part of an outbreak.”
