Spinach Scare?

Question

Have you quit eating spinach altogether since the E-Coli
sicknesses and deaths including the healthy salads we all have
gotten use to eating, especially for lunch in many nice restaurants?

Answer 1

Nope. The contaminated spinach came from California and has been recalled.

I am a little leery of eating raw food in a restaurant, but I still do it. I am a healthy person. I have a good immune system and can fight off most infections.

For some people, especially young children, the elderly, pregnant women and people with weakened immune systems, foodborne illness can be very dangerous.

Healthy adults infected with E. coli O157:H7 may recover within 5 to 10 days without treatment. The higher risk is for those with a compromised immune system, children and older adults. A serious complication is called hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS). It leads to destruction of the red blood cells and kidney failure. About 2%-7% of infections lead to this complication. Even with the patient receiving intensive care, the death rate from hemolytic uremic syndrome can be about 3%-5%.

It takes about 2 to 8 days for a person to show signs of infection which include:
o- bloody diarrhea
o- nausea and vomiting
o- severe abdominal cramps
o- fever

Regardless of what food your buy, wash it thoroughly. Cooking food destroys bacteria, so if you are going to eat something raw, be particularly careful. The dangerous type of E. coli is E. coli O157:H7 and it can be on any produce or meat.

At this time, Natural Selection Foods, LLC, of San Juan Bautista, California, is recalling all of its products that contain spinach in all the brands they pack with “Best if Used by Dates” of August 17, 2006 through October 1, 2006. The products were distributed to about 20 states and Mexico, Canada, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Iceland.

Natural Selection Foods, LLC brands include: Natural Selection Foods, Pride of San Juan, Earthbound Farm, Bellissima, Dole, Rave Spinach, Emeril, Sysco, O Organic, Fresh Point, River Ranch, Superior, Nature’s Basket, Pro-Mark, Compliments, Trader Joe’s, Ready Pac, Jansal Valley, Cheney Brothers, Coastline, D’Arrigo Brothers, Green Harvest, Mann, Mills Family Farm, Pro*Act, Premium Fresh, Snoboy, The Farmer’s Market, Tanimura & Antle, President’s Choice, Cross Valley, and Riverside Farms. These products include spinach and any salad with spinach in a blend, both retail and food service products. Products that do not contain spinach are not part of this recall.

Another company, River Ranch, of California, is currently recalling its spring mix containing spinach. River Ranch obtained bulk spring mix containing spinach from Natural Selections. The following brands are involved: Farmers Market, Hy Vee, Fresh and Easy.

On September 22, 2006, two (2) more firms initiated voluntary recalls: Triple B Corporation, doing business as S.T. Produce, of Seattle, Washington and Pacific Coast Fruit Company of Portland, Oregon. Triple B is recalling its fresh spinach salad products with a “Use By” date of 8/22/2006 thru 9/20/2006 (see list below). Spinach used in these products may have been supplied from Natural Selections Foods of California. The recalled products were distributed in Washington, Oregon, Idaho and Montana to retail stores and delis and sold in a hard plastic clamshell container.

Pacific Coast Fruit Company of Portland, Oregon is recalling products that may include spinach supplied by Natural Selections Foods (see list below). All salad products will have a “USE BY DATE” on or before September 20, 2006. Pizza products will have a “USE BY DATE” on or before September 23, 2006. Pacific Coast Fruit Company stopped making all products with spinach supplied from California on September 14, 2006. The products listed were distributed in Alaska, Oregon, Washington and Idaho.

In the past, contaminated seeds, irrigation water, runoff from feed lots and flooding have contributed to E. coli outbreaks traced to alfalfa sprouts, lettuce, spinach, parsley, and other fresh produce. E. coli O157:H7 is also found in meat. Meat must be thoroughly cooked.

This is not just the common E. coli bacteria that is found everywhere. It is not the E. coli that is normally in human fecal matter and women may transmit to the urethra by wiping back to front. This is a particular variety of E. coli called O157:H7. It could be caused from run-off from a feed lot or from deliberate use of manure to grow "organic" food. Cows that are affected with E. coli O157:H7 do not become ill but people may develop hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS). One person has died and 171 people have been hospitalized.

The rationale for buying organic food is that it is produced without chemical fertilizers. So that means that it is fertilized with manure. Cows, pigs, deer, sheep, horses and chickens may be infected with E. coli O157:H7 and not become ill. The manure may be used to fertilize food that is organically grown. Currently 1 woman died and 109 people have been hospitalized with hemolytic ureic syndrome (HUS) from eating organically grown spinach infected with E. coli O157:H7. E. coli O157:H7 has formerly been found on all types of produce including strawberries, lettuce and bean sprouts. Unpasturized fruit juices were the source of a large E. coli O157:H7 outbreak in 1996.

I personally do not buy organically grown food. If a person feels that buying it will protect him from chemical fertilizers, then he should make sure that they are thoroughly scrubed, washed and rinsed. To be safe they should be cooked as well. The bacteria can live not only on the leaves but also inside the leaves, stems and fruit so washing the outside is not sufficient.

The problem with bagged "pre-washed" packaged spinach and salads is that people tend to eat it right out of the bag without washing it again. That is not healthy. Raw food should be thoroughly washed, not just rinsed. Cooking does kill most pathogens.

Foodborne illnesses are more common that most people think. Use a brush to scrub produce with firm or rough surfaces, such as oranges, cantaloupes, potatoes and carrots. You should always soak raw fruits and vegetables in chlorinated tap water for a few minutes and rub them to get them clean. Then rinse them under running tap water before you prepare and eat them . Any bacteria left-over will be killed by cooking.

The very infectious E. coli -- type O157:H7 may also be antibiotic resistant. During the current epidemic of E.coli O157:H7 found in spinach an 85-year-old woman died in Wisconsin and 171 people have been hospitalized.

The CDC estimates that about 73,000 cases of E.coli related illness occur each year. And 76 million cases of other foodborne illness. As a direct result of pathogenic E. coli infections and its complications, every year 2,100 Americans are hospitalized, and 61 people die. A recent study estimated the annual cost of E. coli O157:H7 illnesses to be $405 million (in 2003 dollars). Those costs that contributed to this estimate included $370 million for premature deaths, $30 million for medical care, and $5 million for lost productivity.

The virulence of E. coli O157:H7 is a result of its ability to produce Shiga-like toxins, or verotoxins. Shiga-like toxins inhibit protein synthesis in eukaryotic cells and play a role in hemorrhagic colitis and hemolytic uremic syndrome by causing damage to endothelial cells in the kidneys, pancreas, brain, and other organs, thus inhibiting those organs’ ability to function.

The primary mode of transmission of E. coli at agricultural fairs, petting zoos, and farm visits was previously thought to be fecal-oral – that is, by ingestion of bacteria-laden feces via contaminated food or water, or transfer by hand to mouth following contact with contaminated surfaces or animals. Conclusions reached by investigators in several recent fair-associated outbreaks of E. coli O157:H7 suggest that ingestion or perhaps even inhalation of contaminated dust particles may be an additional cause of E. coli infection among fairgoers and visitors to petting zoos.

Answer 2

.I don't think restaurants or any public eating place is serving fresh spinach nor will you find any grocery store or farmers market or anywhere they sell produce currently selling fresh spinach by itself or any salad combos or even cooked until they've established exactly where the E-coli came from.Although they think it came from California it hasn't publicly been declared yet as positive. I think when you weigh doing without spinach for awhile , getting terribly sick or even risk dying everyone with any sense will eat other greens for plenty are available for awhile. No one's health is going to be terribly compromised by doing without spinach for a long as its necessary to eat and enjoy it again without risk.

Answer 3

I'm still eating spinach, but it's organic locally grown spinach. Since I live In British Columbia, Canada I think I'm safe. Can I send you some.

Answer 4

After the news broke, I couldn't even buy it at the grocery store...it was completely pulled. So, for now, yes I've quit eating spinach, but as soon as it's back I'll start eating it again.

Answer 5

That is what was adviced until they can get this figured out. I still eat salads they just don't have spinach in them. If you were told that something contained possible poison would you go ahead and eat it?... No way.

Answer 6

I'm not skeered! I just can't buy it as others have said. When the all cleat comes, then I'll buy it again. I do love it, way more healthier than iceberg or romaine lettuce. Well, omitting the e.coli it is!

Answer 7

haven't quit eating it...just waiting until it is safe to eat again. I love it in my salads.

Answer 8

I have...But i'm gonna start eating it again when the out break cools down...For now i just have to eat regular lettuce.

Answer 9

I had a bag of it, had eaten almost half of it, before I was told about it,,,, so far so good,, all seems well.... I love it in my salads.

Answer 10

Its been pulled from the shelves. Frozen and canned is still fine.

Answer 11

all the stores in my area have pulled it..they say canned and frozen are ok..I will resume when they say it's ok and sell again.