Spinach? Too soon to go back on store shelves?

Question

According to federal health officials, it's safe to eat spinach grown outside California's Salinas Valley, and the leafy greens could return to produce shelves in a few days.

Would you purchase ANY Spinach this soon after the E. coli outbreak that killed up to 3 people and sickened 166 people in 25 states through Friday?
Or would you rather wait a couple of months just to be sure there is no more E. coli in the vegetable?

To "Mamma Knows"...
AND A WARNING TO ALL !!

Careful, E. coli is "systemic" which means it cannot be washed away because it is in the "inside" of the vegetable...in the spinach "veins".

Answer 1

You are right. The E. coli bacteria can be inside leaves and stems. It cannot be washed away. But E. coli is heat sensitive.

To be safe, food should be cooked. The bacteria can live not only on the leaves but also inside the leaves, stems and fruit so washing the outside is not sufficient. However, washing does remove some bacteria may be on the surface. Use a brush to scrub produce with firm or rough surfaces, such as oranges, cantaloupes, potatoes and carrots. 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.

I am a healthy individual but children, pregnant women, the elderly and persons with compromised immune systems are particularly vulnerable to foodborne illnesses.

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.

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.

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.

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 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

One of my friends was saying she wanted spinach. That she was dying for a spinach wrap. This was at lunch today but won’t touch any form of the stuff whether it be bagged, frozen, canned, binned, prepared due to the E. coli outbreak.

I told her she had nothing to worry about if the spinach was properly sprayed with Lysol.

I also told her that I didn’t mind being a food tester for her sake. That I would test the spinach and if I didn’t turn yellow or have diarrhea that she could eat her spinach wrap.

paaatches –Maybe everyone should get a food tester. “Here, test this!” *food tester dies* Okay, we can forget about eating that.

Answer 3

I was on a spinach buy frenzie the last couple of months. But now, I won't get near it. I am not informed by the government if spinach is stored in refrigerators in mass, so that in two months, will there be a batch that still has E Coli.

I'm going with Romaine for a couple of months. Thank You.

Answer 4

I would purchase spinach now BUT I would nake sure that I washed it very well in warm water.

Did you know that in the last 6 years, there have been 19 previous outbreaks of E.Coli from salad greens? This is just the first one where so many became sick and died.

I am the first to admit that I don't wash salad green when they are bagged. I know how bad this is. Today I am going to look for a good salad washer.

Answer 5

I won't be eating spinach for awhile - a few months. I have Lupus and that is the last thing that I need is a case of s. coli.

Sounds like the growers are running the show for the bottom dollar and not looking at our safety.

Answer 6

I miss my fresh spinach!!!! I hadn't realized just how much I used spinach until it was gone. They narrowed it down to one farm that was packaged as Dole Baby Spinach to expire on Aug 30. I think it is a pretty safe bet that it would be safe to eat spinach again, now.

Answer 7

No, I wouldn't!! I don't think I will be eating spinach for quite sometime!! And who is to say there hasn't been any frozen or canned with the same!?

Answer 8

I just don't like spinach so i wouldn't bother in the first place. Do you think that popeye was just an advertising campaign for spinach?

Answer 9

There is always an outbreak of something somewhere.

People have a short memory, they will start eating it again soon.

Answer 10

I wouldnt eat any spinach at all too risky.