how is spinach a carrier of e coli?

Question

I thought people got e coli from infected meat.

Answer 1

the manure it was grown in was contaminated therefore when the spinach was growing it absorbed to e coli bacteria

Answer 2

You can get e. coli from anything that you eat that has it on it. It was in meat because cows carry it in their digestive tracts (well, not all, but a lot) and they can handle the bacteria. When slaughtered, the e.coli still lived inside of the meat of the cow, just passing it on to the next consumer.

E.coli gets on produce from the feces of infected livestock, such as cows. Or, the cow has e.coli, pooped on the spinach, and infected that.

Answer 3

The spinach somehow got exposed to e coli.

Answer 4

If a worker poos in the field, the e. coli that is naturally in the colon will get on the spinach.

Answer 5

They said it came from the cow manure they use. Either in the fertilizer, or from the stream that flows through where the spinach grows. Even though the water used for growing the spinach is well water, they said it was from the cows in the area.

Answer 6

I don't think spinach is a carrier of E. Coli, unless the spinach you are eating has feces all over it (I wouldn't recommend that) :(

Answer 7

Spinach is grown in soil in which animal manure is used to fertilize the soil. It must be picked carefully and washed thoroughly. The manure should be treated so it is not dangerous to the food. They must have used untreated manure.

Answer 8

E coli is a type of bacteria. And like all bacteria, they can be found anywhere!!!

Answer 9

This is a great question. E. coli is a bacteria normally found in the intestines of animals.

Meat typically becomes contaminated with E. coli O157:H7 during the slaughtering process, when the contents of an animal's intestines and feces are allowed to come into contact with the carcass. Unless the carcass is sanitized, the E. coli bacteria are eventually mixed into the meat as it is ground. Because the bacteria is mixed into the meat during the grinding process, and is not just on the surface, thorough cooking (to160 degrees) is required to prevent E. coli O157:H7 poisoning from consumption of ground beef. Contaminated meat looks and smells normal, and although the number of organisms required to cause an infection is not known, it is suspected to be very small.

The rationale for buying organic produce 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. Furthermore, runoff from feed lots can contaminate many sources of irrigation.

Currently 1 woman died and 109 people have been hospitalized with hemolytic uremic 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.

If a person feels that buying organic food 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.

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

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.

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

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%.

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 10

All the other answers I've read so far are a possibility, along with contaminated water.