The National Agricultural Research and Extension Institute (NAREI) will be restricting the importation of romaine lettuce, due to the outbreak of the E. coli disease in the United States.
Escherichia coli (E. coli) is a bacterium commonly found in the gut of warm-blooded organisms. Most strains of E. coli are not harmful but are part of the healthful bacterial flora in the human gut. However, some types can cause illness in humans, including diarrhoea, abdominal pain, fever, and sometimes vomiting.
NAREI, in a notice to the public on Monday, said the restriction on the commodity will be temporary.
The Institute said it will not be issuing import permits and will be recalling all permits issued within the past three months.
The restriction will be removed when Guyana is notified by the United States of America FDA that there is no threat to the romaine lettuce.
