OTTAWA, ON — If you were considering the inclusion of romaine lettuce in your holiday meal plans, according to the Public Health Agency of Canada it should be safe to do so.
The agency announced on December 24 that it is no longer advising Canadians to avoid eating romaine lettuce and salad mixes containing romaine lettuce.
It's because, since mid-November, there have been no illnesses linked to the Canadian investigation following an outbreak of E.coli infections in Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick and several U.S. states.
Investigations with American health agencies determined that romaine lettuce consumed in the majority of the outbreak cases was harvested in northern and central California.
Romaine lettuce grown in Canada, including hydroponic lettuce and lettuce grown in greenhouses, was not associated with the outbreak.
The agency said that "As of December 24, the Canadian outbreak appears to be over," but the U.S. investigation is ongoing.
It said the Canadian Food Inspection Agency over the last month has implemented import control measures to ensure romaine from affected regions in California is not being imported into Canada.
Retailers continue to bring lettuce into the Canadian marketplace from growing regions not associated with the outbreak.
