E. Coli Outbreak Update: 155,000 Items Recalled As Scare Spreads To Walmart, Starbucks, Target

An E. coli outbreak has led to food products being removed from store shelves in 18 states, affecting chains such as Walmart, Target and Costco, as the Food and Drug Administration adds to its growing recall list. Contaminated celery is believed to be the source of the scare.

E. coli is a type of bacteria that can cause serious infections. The list of possibly infected items now includes more than 155,000 products, reported CNN Money. Among the products recalled were chicken salad, macaroni salad and celery sticks from various companies.

Products were recalled by the Food and Drug Administration in Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oregon, South Dakota, Utah, Washington and Wyoming.

At least 19 people in seven states were infected with E. coli from consuming Costco's rotisserie chicken salad, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Costco announced last month that it had removed the chicken salad from its stores and ceased its production.

Starbucks has also removed potentially infected items from its various locations, according to Business Insider. Stores affected in the latest recall also include 7-Eleven, Raley's, King Scoopers, Save Mart, Albertsons and Sam's Club.

Chipotle saw an E. coli scare in November when 43 of its locations in Washington state and the Portland, Oregon, area served contaminated food. The outbreak affected at least 45 people, with 14 of them hospitalized.