lettuce

Leading Australian retailers Coles and Woolworths have recalled pre-packed lettuce products grown and distributed by Victorian-based Tripod Farmers that have been linked to several confirmed cases of salmonella.

The lettuce has been sold under brands including Coles 4 Leaf Mix; Woolworths salad mix; Supasalad Supamix; and Wash N Toss salad mix.

Victoria’s Department of Health & Human Services (DHHS) has urged consumers to return or discard any of these products, which have best before dates up to and including 14 February.

'Normally we only see a handful of cases of this strain each year, but so far this year there have been 28 adult cases of Salmonella anatum - mostly adults - notified to the Department,” DHHS senior medical advisor Finn Romanes said in a statement released 4 February. 'As a result of following up the food histories of a number of people, we have discovered a common source - the Tripod Farmers lettuce.

'Tests of three products from two batches have also tested positive for Salmonella anatum bacterium.”

Tripod Farmers has issued a national voluntary product recall and is monitoring all of its products, with a full clean up already undertaken.