In August of 2012, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) isolated E. coli O157:H7 from a sample of Tanimura & Antle Romaine lettuce. The lettuce had been distributed in both the United States and Canada, and CFIA issued a “Health Hazard Alert” notice, warning the public not to consume the lettuce on August 17, 2012.
By August 20, CFIA had expanded the alert to include additional lettuce, and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration had announced that Tanimura & Antle was recalling “Wrapped Single Head Romaine.”
According to health authorities, the strain of E. coli O157:H7 isolated from the lettuce was a rare strain that had not been seen in Canada since 2009. Two Canadians—a person from Ontario and a person from Alberta—were infected with the same strain of E. coli O157:H7 as the strain isolated from the lettuce.
Marler Clark represents the family of the Alberta woman who became ill with an E. coli O157:H7 infection after eating the contaminated Tanimura & Antle lettuce.