For the second time in recent months, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency is warning the public not to eat Fresh Express brand romaine lettuce-based salads because of bacterial contamination concerns.

On Wednesday, the agency said the romaine lettuce salads, sold in pre-made plastic bags and produced by California-based Fresh Express, may contain harmful E. coli bacteria. The salads have been distributed in B.C., Alberta, Manitoba, Ontario and Quebec and may have been distributed nationally.

The salads affected by the newest warning have best before dates between July 9 and 12 and an "S" in the product code.

The use-by date can be found in the upper right hand corner of the package and the product code immediately underneath.

This alert was initiated in response to a recall by Fresh Express.

Here is a list of recalled Fresh Express romaine lettuce salads:

  • 5-Lettuce Mix (170 g), UPC: 2 71279 25101 1
  • American (340 g), UPC: 0 71279 24100 5
  • Asian Supreme Completes Kit (391 g), UPC: 0 71279 30201 0
  • BLT Caesar Completes Kit (298 g), UPC: 0 71279 30107 5
  • Caesar Completes Kit (284 g), UPC: 0 71279 30100 6
  • Caesar Supreme Completes Kit (305 g), UPC: 0 71279 30104 4
  • CaesarLite Completes Kit (284 g), UPC: 0 71279 30101 3
  • Salsa! Ensalada Supreme Completes Kit (397 g), UPC: 0 71279 30601 8
  • Double Carrots (340 g), UPC: 0 71279 10802 5
  • Fancy Greens (198 g), UPC: 0 71279 23201 0
  • Green & Crisp (340 g), UPC: 0 71279 10804 9
  • Hearts of Romaine (284 g), UPC: 0 71279 26102 7
  • Italian (284 g), UPC: 0 71279 21100 8
  • Leafy Green Romaine (255 g), UPC: 0 71279 26112 6
  • Lettuce Trio (255 g), UPC: 0 71279 10809 4
  • Premium Romaine (255 g), UPC: 0 71279 10808 7
  • Triple Hearts (227 g), UPC: 0 71279 26111 9
  • Veggie Lovers (340 g), UPC: 0 71279 28100 1

Food contaminated with E. coli can cause serious and potentially life-threatening illnesses. Symptoms include severe abdominal pain and bloody diarrhea.

There CFIA says there have been no reported illnesses associated with the consumption of these Fresh Express products.

The agency is working with Canadian importers to get the affected products removed from store shelves.

The CFIA warned of possible salmonella contamination in more than a dozen popular Fresh Express-brand romaine lettuce salads back in May. No illnesses were reported in connection to that recall.

For more information, contact the CFIA at 1-800-442-2342 or the Fresh Express Consumer Response Centre at 1-800-242-5472.