Prof 'shocked' by New Brunswick medical officer's advice about avoiding E. coli

When it comes to your romaine lettuce, don't count on washing to remove E. coli,says a professor and food microbiologist.

"We've known for years now that washing doesn't cut it," said Keith Warriner of the University of Guelph.

• E. coli case in New Brunswick is linked to romaine lettuce
• Here's why lettuce keeps getting contaminated with E. coli
• New Brunswick joins provinces affected by E. coli linked to romaine lettuce

Warrinersaid he was "shocked"by advice the public got this week from Dr. Jennifer Russell, New Brunswick'schief medical officer of health, after people got sick fromE. coli in Ontario, Quebec and New Brunswick.

Russell advised people to throw away their romaine lettuce. But ifthey decided to consume the lettuce, she said,they should wash it under cool, running water.

Warriner said washing is too risky.

Just leave romaine lettuce for now and try iceberg or leafy greens.- Keith Warriner, University of Guelph

With E.coliO157, it only takes 10 to 100 cells to cause illness, he said.

"To put it in perspective, you can get about a billion cells on a pin head," said Warriner, who doesn't eat lettuce himself.

"And the thing about washing is that it can't get into the grooves between plant cells, where E.coli can reside."

Grocery stores have already pulled romaine lettuce from their shelves, but the Canadian Food Inspection Agency hasn't issueda recall.

A blanket" recall making it mandatory for all stores and restaurants to stop selling or serving romaine lettuce, regardless of the source should be issued, Warriner said.

Illness in 3 provinces

Earlier this week, a case of E.coliwas confirmed in New Brunswick and linked to contaminated lettuce, making19 confirmed cases in Canada from the same strain of the bacteria.

If ingested, Warriner said, E.coli can be deadly because it produces a shiga toxin that causes the kidneys to break down.

A person infected withE. coliis typically treated with antibiotics, but Warriner said this actually produces even more shiga toxins.

Warrinersaid people should just avoid romaine altogether.

"It's simply not worth the risk of kidney failure conditions. At the moment nobody is really sure what's contaminated, what isn't."

Where does it come from?

E. colibacteria are naturally found in the intestines of farm animals. Contamination of vegetables and fruit can occur when they come in contact with animal feces. Most forms of the bacteria are harmless.

This is the third outbreak of E. coli related to lettuce in North America this year.

• Lack of romaine lettuce recall leaves grocers in the lurch

"Just leave romaine lettuce for now and try iceberg or leafy greens," Warriner said.

The Health Department has said symptoms of E. coli appear within four days of infection and include frequentdiarrhea, often bloody, and stomach cramps.

Symptoms can last up to 10 days.