Montreal (AFP)
Canada will restrict the import of romaine lettuce from an area of California, linked to several outbreaks caused by the E.coli bacteria in Canada and the United States, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency said ( CFIA).
Romaine lettuce from the Salinas Valley (California) has been identified as being linked to disease outbreaks caused by E.coli bacteria in the United States and Canada from 2016 to 2019.
The CFIA has decided to implement "temporary import measures to prevent the entry of contaminated food into the market" to "mitigate the risks in the event of a new outbreak this fall" .
The Canadian agency will require importers "to provide either proof that the romaine lettuce intended for import into Canada does not come from counties in the Salinas Valley, or an official certificate of analysis from an accredited laboratory confirming that lettuce has lower than detectable E.coli levels. "
This measure, which also applies to mixed salads containing romaine lettuce, comes into effect from October 7 until the end of the year.
The bacteria can cause in the week following consumption, gastroenteritis possibly hemorrhagic, with or without fever, and which can be followed by severe renal complications in young children.
The E.coli bacterium is responsible for one death and several dozen hospitalizations in Canada and the United States in recent years.
© 2020 AFP