First Spinach, Now Lettuce

Less than a week after the FDA lifted its warning on fresh spinach grown in California's Salinas Valley, a popular brand of lettuce grown there was recalled Sunday over concerns about E. coli contamination. The lettuce does not appear to have caused any illnesses. The lettuce scare comes amid other federal warnings that some brands of spinach, bottled carrot juice and recent shipments of beef could cause grave health risks — including paralysis, respiratory failure and death. Executives ordered the recall after learning that irrigation water may have been contaminated with E. coli.

So far, company investigators have not found E. coli bacteria in the lettuce itself.

The recall covers green leaf 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 or institutions. 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.