After an E. Coli Outbreak, CR's Experts Warn Against Eating All Wendy's Sandwiches and Salads With Romaine Lettuce
The fast-food chain is removing the lettuce from its sandwiches in some states, but CR urges greater caution until more is known about the source of the outbreak
By Lisa L. Gill
Thirty-seven people have become ill and 10 people were hospitalized with a dangerous strain of E. coli, known as E. coli O157:H7, most of them after eating Wendy’s sandwiches, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention confirmed. Illnesses occurred in four states: Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, and Pennsylvania. Although Wendy’s hasn’t confirmed the source of the E. coli, the company said that it has removed the romaine lettuce from its sandwiches in those regions as a precaution and that the lettuce used in its salads is different.
While the investigation is underway, Consumer Reports’ food safety experts say to avoid consuming any Wendy’s sandwich or salad with romaine lettuce until the company can confirm the source of the pathogen, disclose the cause of the problem, and say how it plans to address it.
No deaths have been reported. Illnesses started on dates ranging from July 26 to Aug. 8.
“E. coli can be especially harmful to young children, infants, older persons, and those with a compromised immune system,” says James E. Rogers, PhD, director of food safety and testing at Consumer Reports. “The goal is to minimize your risk of getting it, and until we know more about its source, it’s safest to avoid consuming Wendy’s sandwiches served with lettuce and any Wendy’s salad containing romaine lettuce.”
The CDC notes that romaine lettuce served on burgers and sandwiches is the most common ingredient eaten among those who became ill.
The actual number of sick people in the outbreak is likely higher than the number reported, says the CDC, and the outbreak may not be limited to the states with known illnesses.
Wendy’s said in a statement that the company is “fully cooperating with public health authorities on their ongoing investigation of the regional E. coli outbreak reported in certain midwestern states,” and that it is “committed to upholding our high standards of food safety and quality.”
Between 2006 and 2019, romaine lettuce and other leafy greens, such as spinach and bags of spring mix, were involved in at least 46 multistate E. coli outbreaks, according to the CDC. (See CR’s leafy greens safety guide.) CR food safety experts, including Rogers, have long supported efforts to give the FDA more authority to pinpoint the source of these outbreaks and be able to take the necessary steps to prevent future ones.
Symptoms of E. Coli
Symptoms of E. coli can appear three to five days after eating contaminated food. They include diarrhea and a fever of 102° F or higher, diarrhea for three days that’s not improving, bloody diarrhea, vomiting that prevents you from keeping liquids down, and severe dehydration, which can include dry mouth and throat, feeling dizzy when you stand up, and not urinating much or at all.
Up to 10 percent of people who become ill with E. coli can develop a kidney complication known as hemolytic uremic syndrome, which can damage the kidneys to the point that it causes death, according to the CDC. Symptoms include decreased frequency of urination, feeling very tired, and losing pink color in cheeks and inside the lower eyelids.
Editor’s Note: This article has been updated to include a statement from Wendy’s.
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