Wendy’s Eliminates Ingredient From Its Food For Serious Health Reason
Wendy's has decided to completely eliminate its use of romaine lettuce in certain states due to serious health concerns.
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Wendy’s is removing the romaine lettuce from sandwiches in its Michigan, Ohio and Pennsylvania locations after people eating them have reportedly fallen ill. The move comes as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention try to determine whether the ingredient is the source of an E. Coli outbreak that left over 30 people infected with the bacteria. The departments are also trying to figure out if the vegetable used by the fast-food chain was also served or sold at other businesses.
While the cause of the outbreak hasn’t been confirmed, the health protection agency said many of the infected people reported eating sandwiches with romaine lettuce at Wendy’s restaurants in these states before getting sick. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Friday it is investigating an E. coli outbreak in four states that has sickened at least 37 people and put 10 in the hospital. According to NPR, 19 people reported falling ill in Ohio, 15 in Michigan, two in Pennsylvania, and one in Indiana.
But the Center for Disease Control said the true number is probably a lot higher and the outbreak may be limited to Wendy’s locations or the states with known illnesses. Referring to a national laboratory that connects cases of food-borne, water-borne, and other illnesses 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.”
While there have been no reported deaths linked to the outbreak, 10 people have been hospitalized and three developed a type of kidney failure. Illnesses were reported from July 26 through August 8, with the ailment affecting people between six and 91 years old. For now, the CDC says there is no evidence that romaine lettuce from other restaurants or stores is linked to the outbreak. They have also not instructed people to stop eating at Wendy’s, ABC Eyewitness News reports.
In a statement, Wendy’s said that is it fully cooperating with public health authorities on their ongoing investigation. As such, the fast food outlet removed the romaine lettuce from sandwiches in the region as a precautionary measure. The eatery added that the romaine lettuce used in its salads is different from the lettuce in its sandwiches. “As a company, we are committed to upholding our high standards of food safety and quality,” the restaurant chain said. The company currently has almost 1,100 locations in the four affected states.
Symptoms of E.Coli vary, but common ones include fever, diarrhea, stomach cramps, and signs of dehydration, the CDC says. They often start three to four days after swallowing the bacteria. To prevent infections, practicing good hygiene is a must. This includes washing your hands often with soap and water and handling food with care. Fresh produce should be thoroughly rinsed before eating or preparing them. Separating raw meats from foods that won’t be cooked also helps lessen the chance of contamination. For now, it remains to be seen if Wendy’s is the only eatery impacted by the outbreak
