Lettuce enthusiast Bill Shorten is urging people not to give up on the vegetable after a salmonella outbreak.
The federal Labor leader sparked a social-media frenzy earlier this year when he attempted small talk with a shopper about their favourite type of lettuce.
It led to a video of the awkward - albeit hilarious - exchange going viral and Mr Shorten continually being asked about his lettuce preferences during media opportunities.
But a salmonella outbreak affecting pre-packaged lettuce sold at Coles and Woolworths in his home state of Victoria hasn't dampened the opposition leader's enthusiasm.
"I like lettuce - I like dark-stem lettuce," Mr Shorten told reporters on Friday after being asked for his thoughts on the development.
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"I don't think people should give up on lettuce because of a salmonella outbreak."
Mr Shorten reassured fellow lettuce-eaters the supermarket giants would get on top of the food-poisoning outbreak.
However, the Labor leader did not waste a political opportunity, using it to blast any GST increases.
"I don't like lettuce with 15 per cent."
