On Oct. 8, 2006, the Nunes Company, Inc., of Salinas, Calif., initiated a voluntary recall of green leaf lettuce distributed under the Foxy brand. The company reported to the US Food and Drug Administration that it initiated the recall because of contamination of water used to irrigate the lettuce plants in the field.
About the same time, Fresh Express, also from Salinas, recalled batches of 3-year-old hearts of romaine salad. The affected salad had the potential to be contaminated.
Hearts of romaine was distributed through retail stores in 19 US states and four Canadian provinces, but the recall was not thought to have mattered much – the salad is highly perishable and was well beyond its expiration date.
