California Lettuce Recall: True Leaf Farm Recalls 90 Cartons Of Chopped Romaine (PHOTOS)

SALINAS, Calif. (AP) -- A California farm said Thursday it was voluntarily recalling bags of chopped romaine lettuce because of possible contamination with listeria, though no illnesses have been reported.

True Leaf Farms of Salinas announced the recall of 90 cartons that were shipped to an Oregon food service distributor. From the distributor, it might have gone to at least two other states, Washington and Idaho.

The Food and Drug Administration notified the company that a sample from one bag taken as part of a random check tested positive for listeria.

Federal health officials say they've gotten better at detecting the germs that cause food poisoning, so they are seeing them in produce more often.

The recall covers product with a use by date of Sept. 29. The bag and box code is B256-46438-8.

California health officials are looking into the contamination, said Ken August, spokesman for the California Department of Public Health, but have not yet determined how the lettuce became contaminated.

"Anytime there is a contaminated food product, we are concerned and take steps so that it's removed from shelves as quickly as possible and to notify consumers," he said.

Listeria rarely shows up in produce, but an outbreak linked to cantaloupe from a Colorado farm has caused at least 72 illnesses, including up to 16 deaths, in 18 states.

August said the state is working with the company to verify the distribution of the produce being recalled. Most of the lettuce was sold to California institutions such as restaurants and cafeterias, he said, and only a small amount went to retail in other states, August said.

The Salinas Valley is known as the "Salad Bowl of the World" for its production of lettuce and numerous other crops.

Lettuce currently picked at the farm is safe to eat, said Steve Church, CEO of Church Brothers, which sells and markets the farm's produce. The company is working with the FDA, Church said, to determine if there are any problems at the farm and is taking more time to sanitize its produce.

Take a look at other recent food products being recalled and learn more about the cantaloupe outbreak below:

Comments

[Daniel Wilcox]

07:29 PM on 10/12/2011

Again? You know it's just easier to grow your own these days. What happened to properly testing for safety before selling a product? Why do they send this stuff out and then realize there's a problem? Seems like every time we turn around there's another food recall.

[leobeverly]

02:45 PM on 09/30/2011

Would stricter regulations be effective? Listeria is a bacteria thats found in the soil. It comes in 7 forms ,the one here seems to be Listeria Monocytogenes. This form can mutate to get by our immune system thus raising havoc with especially elderly people and pregnant women. It is a temperture sensitive strain. The reason today lettuce and canteloupes are the culprits is they are not cooked. Cleanliness is a factor and can thwart Listeria. Are new regulations the answer or is making sure companies are abiding by the ones on the books? You can enact all the regulations you want by if no one's following them what good does it do. Companys will raise prices,blame it on the new Regs and still not follow them. Who loses? You.

[leobeverly]

02:11 PM on 09/30/2011

My mother used to say"Eat your fruit and vegetables." Now I realize she was trying to kill me. We will no longer call vegetarians "Vegans" , they will now be called "Self Sacrifice Volunteers".

[philliplojek]

09:51 AM on 09/30/2011

First cantaloupes, now lettuce. I always knew vegetables were hazardous to your life. White Castle burgers never get recalled.

[laurelphot]

09:30 AM on 09/30/2011

I beleive that every American should have personal insurance. Insurance against RepubliCan'ts. And an adequate supply of ammo for that insurance.

[anniee214]

09:45 AM on 09/30/2011

Is there personal insurance for lettuce????

[leobeverly]

02:13 PM on 09/30/2011

Hey Spanky where are the Republicans spoken of in this article? ADHD can be a troublesome thing ,huh?

[johnkostrubal]

09:29 AM on 09/30/2011

Who is working on these farms ? Sanitation is lacking .
We need more inspectors . Have a team of two check the farms, one a food inspector, the other a I.C.E. agent .
Good old "Shovel Ready Jobs"
Please, no foreigners need to apply .
Between the Chinese and Mexicans, they are killing us slowly .
Before you pro-illegals start crying foul, have a melon !

[Margaret Cadogan]

03:14 AM on 10/13/2011

Good luck finding "job creators" to pick this toxic stuff themselves.

[laurelphot]

09:21 AM on 09/30/2011

Quick RepubliCan'ts cut the Food And Drug Administration Budgets again.
Listeria here, Listeria there and E Coli elsewhere. Definately needs LESS REGULATION.

[laurelphot]

09:19 AM on 09/30/2011

It looks loke the RepubliCan'ts mantra of Less Regulation and the Bush Administration Policies of Less inspections, less enforcement are paying off in SPADES. GRAVE DIGGERS SPADES.

[anniee214]

09:46 AM on 09/30/2011

Ok, ok. We get it. You think you are very clever. Now learn to spell.

[Robert J Bartley]

07:21 AM on 09/30/2011

Will anything be safe to eat at the rate we are going. Are we going to have to dip all produce in bleach water to sterilize before eating. Everyone thought it was wonderful when Regan gutted the Federal Gov;t. and the inspectors who might have kept this from happening. Not only did he give America back TB but we can now add this to the mix.

[green32]

07:54 AM on 09/30/2011

Get a life Liberal

[mosuro]

08:32 AM on 09/30/2011

lol..liberals are fed and love to eat ch*t from their holy govt produce.

[anniee214]

09:49 AM on 09/30/2011

When does the Statute of Limitations run out on liberals blaming previous administrations for everything that is wrong with today's administration?

[mosuro]

06:03 AM on 09/30/2011

Smoke, drink and drive without seatbelts, eat junk food, party like a rock star..life is to long.

[dterraman]

05:53 AM on 09/30/2011

find out HOW gov man

[teachone]

03:29 AM on 09/30/2011

The government needs to CRACK DOWN on the companies and increase regulations, our food is now all becoming unsafe to eat due to all the deregulations and lack of oversight of these crooked companies who don't care who they kill, as long as they make $$$$$$$!!! I hate American businesses, so lazy, selfish, greedy,unethical, inhumane, immoral!!!

[Stephen Thorpe]

02:49 AM on 09/30/2011

Every year 50 people die from walking in front of a bus. ;-)

[R Biro]

01:24 AM on 09/30/2011

Melons and lettuce and ground beef... Ohhhh my!

[simzillyjp]

03:21 AM on 09/30/2011

It;s time to go on starvation diet. Lots of Americans would benefit from this kind of diet.

[R Biro]

03:38 AM on 09/30/2011

You first. :)

[verylargehat]

01:21 AM on 09/30/2011

With recalls like this, this seems like a GREAT time to bash regulations. Let's just let the market regulate itself. ;D

Maybe at the next GOP debate, they can all eat a piece of cantaloupe and guess who would be sick by the debate's conclusion.

[ErnestineBass]

05:04 PM on 09/30/2011

Who needs cantaloupe?

Just watching these b0z0s "debate" is enough to make you si/ck.