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
Investigative Reporter

Published August 20, 2022·Updated September 2, 2022

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says that it’s received more reports of illnessses in an outbreak caused by a dangerous strain of E. coli, known as E. coli O157:H7. As of Aug. 31, a total of 97 people have gotten sick and 10 have been hospitalized. The illnesses have occurred in six states: Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, New York, Ohio, and Pennsylvania. No deaths have been reported. Illnesses started on dates ranging from July 26 to Aug. 15.

While the agency says no specific food has been confirmed as the cause, most of the people ate Wendy’s sandwiches.

Wendy’s hasn’t confirmed that its sandwiches are the source of the E. coli, but when the outbreak was first announced on Aug. 19, the company said that it has removed the romaine lettuce from its sandwiches in the original four states where people became ill: Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, and Pennsylvania. It did so, it said, as a precaution and that the lettuce used in its salads is different. Wendy’s did not immediately respond to an inquiry about whether the lettuce has been removed from its sandwiches in Kentucky and New York.

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 with new information from the CDC.

Lisa L. Gill

Lisa L. Gill is an award-winning investigative reporter. She has been at Consumer Reports since 2008, covering health and food safety—heavy metals in the food supply and foodborne illness—plus healthcare and prescription drug costs, medical debt, and credit scores. Lisa also testified before Congress and the Food and Drug Administration about her work on drug costs and drug safety. She lives in a DIY tiny home, where she gardens during the day and stargazes the Milky Way at night.