This is the second time a massive outbreak of e-coli has resulted from
these people and their association with growers.

Is it safe to eat lettuce amid E. coli outbreak?
By Moni Basu
STORY HIGHLIGHTS

* Grocery store whole lettuce relatively safe, says expert
* E. coli outbreak has sickened at least 23 people in four states
* No deaths have been reported
* Freshway Foods and Vaughan Foods have recalled bagged lettuce
products

(CNN) -- Ask Douglas Powell, food safety expert and keeper of
Barfblog, whether he'd consider a salad of fresh romaine for dinner
tonight.

If it's lettuce from a grocery store, Powell's answer is yes.

He bought some Wednesday, the day the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention expanded to four states a current outbreak of potentially
deadly food-borne illness linked to tainted lettuce.

But would Powell put the green stuff on his plate at a salad bar?
Absolutely not.