Arising out of a meeting held on Thursday, Nov. 22, among representatives from the Consumer Affairs Department, the Saint Lucia Bureau of Standards, and the Environmental Health Division, the public is hereby advised not to eat imported romaine lettuce.

Retailers and food service establishments are further advised not to sell or serve imported romaine lettuce, including food products such as salads and salad mixes containing romaine lettuce.

Information obtained from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) indicates that some persons who have consumed romaine lettuce and romaine lettuce mixes have been infected and became sick with pathogenic E. coli.

The symptoms include nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, bloody diarrhea, fever, malaise, loss of appetite, dehydration and kidney failure in some instances. If you experience these symptoms, please report to your nearest health care facility.

As a precautionary measure, consumers are advised to wash and sanitize with a warm water and bleach solution any surfaces, equipment, chillers, draws that may have been in contact with romaine lettuce or romaine lettuce mixes.

Persons are to follow due diligence and wash hands thoroughly, adhering to the 20 second rule.

For further information, please contact the Environment Health Division at 4683700 or Epidemiology unit at 4685325.