Bagged Salads Recalled Due to E. Coli

Nearly 5,400 cases of bagged romaine lettuce salads are being recalled due to contamination from E. coli, federal Food and Drug Administration officials said.

The lettuce is sold in 9- to 16-ounce bags under the labels Ready Pac, Trader Joe's, Safeway and Dining in Classic and sold in Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Oregon, Texas and Washington, the FDA said.

The affected bags, produced by Ready Pac Foods, Inc. have a use-by date of Nov. 18. The Irwindale, Calif.-based company voluntarily issued a recall after a random test found a strain of E. coli in the foods. No illnesses have been linked to the recalled salads, which were sold between Nov. 7 and 16.

Consumers should discard the products or return them to the place where they were purchased, health officials say. Safeway and Trader Joe's stores in the area said they will refund the sale price of any of the products, which they have pulled from the shelves.

No other Ready Pac Foods, Inc. products are included in the recall.

E. coli is usually caused by fecal contamination during processing, sometimes transported in water or due to improper food handling, according to the National Institutes for Health. Although most healthy adults can recover completely within a week, some people can develop a form of kidney failure called Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome. Children and the elderly are particularly susceptible to life-threatening complications, health officials said.

Anyone who develops symptoms of E. coli, which include abdominal cramps and diarrhea, are advised to seek medical aid.

-- Bay City News Service contributed to this story.