E. Coli Outbreak Source Located

(CBS/AP)  An outbreak of E. coli has been linked to a California spinach processor, but government investigators are looking into other producers as well.

"We're clearly evolving and it is very important to keep an open mind whether there are other products potentially implicated," said Dr. David Acheson, the chief medical officer with the Food and Drug Administration's Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition.

Natural Selection Foods LLC was linked to the E. coli outbreak that has killed one person and sickened nearly 100 others. Twenty-nine people have been hospitalized, 14 of them with kidney failure. FDA officials said they had received reports of illness in 19 states.

Supermarkets across the country have pulled spinach from shelves, and consumers have tossed out the leafy green.

The officials stressed that the bacteria had not been isolated in products sold by Natural Selection Foods, a holding company based in San Juan Bautista, Calif., known for Earthbound Farm and other brands. However, multiple patients named spinach brands sold by the company in interviews with health officials, Acheson said. Other brands may yet be implicated.

Meanwhile, Natural Selection Foods voluntarily recalled its products containing spinach and is cooperating with federal and state health officials to identify the source of the contamination. Its products are sold as Rave Spinach, Natural Selection Foods, Dole, Earthbound Farm, Trader Joe's, Ready Pac and Green Harvest, among other brand names.

"We are very, very upset about this," Natural Selection Foods spokeswoman Samantha Cabaluna said Friday night. "What we do is produce food that we want to be healthy and safe for consumers, so this is a tragedy for us."

The company said consumers could call 800-690-3200 for a refund or replacement coupons for tossed-out spinach products.

State health officials received the first reports of illness Aug. 25, and the FDA was informed Wednesday, Acheson said.

The FDA warned people nationwide not to eat the spinach. Washing won't get rid of the tenacious bug, although thorough cooking can kill it.

• 1
• 2
• Next Page »

[grazinggoat]

Dear newster1, Untill now we don't know what the origin of contamination into that outbreak. Nothing has been stated on the washing process, but as per this above article. There are ways of washing, additives to be added into water, to make sure some ISO and other standards are respected.

The producer is under scrutiny for the time being. In some cases, contaminations can originate from spreading of human fecal waste into growing fields, which is contrary to many safety protocoles. In this case any microbiologist or agri-food ispector would recommend the total destrcution of the crop.

I don't mind eating from that food, provided one can wash them in a clean soapy water and remove great majority of contaminant micro-organisms, or steamed...

On a daily basis we eat a lot of this ***, without really knowing and we don,t die from it... Most often symptom bearing patients are health-fragile or immune-deficient.
Now dont understand that I'm recommending to eat that *** if a pack of spinach smells or taste sh*t. ;)

[starlady2]

I think they are being sabotaged. Considering that On Friday, August 18, 2006, the FDA approved a viral cocktail to be sprayed on foods we eat. This is the first time viruses have been approved for use as food additives. The FDA wants you to believe it will be safe to consume these viruses every day for the rest of your life with no adverse health effects. This is a monumental announcement by the FDA, indicating they are throwing all caution to the wind regarding the safety of our food supply.
Are you willing to stand in line for a virus-laden sandwich? How do you like the idea of buying virus-infested food for your family? At issue is the very real problem of a poor quality FDA-approved food supply that is already full of diseased and sickly animals, many of them imported from other countries. The use of antibiotics during growth and radiation during food processing is required by the fast-food animal farms owned by multi-national companies to cover up the horrendous health of the animals they wish to feed to Americans. Animals in poor health are a friendly place for bacteria to grow and prosper, especially after such meat goes to market. Rather than address the source of the problem, the FDA wants to add another adulteration into our food supply.
Source: http://www.newswithviews.com/Richards/byron7.htm.

[sterryhouse]

I would like the FDA to answer why it took them from August 25, until september 15, to issue a recall, also is the USDA involved in this at all? In the beef industry, they have tightened regulations on sanitation, and made it where they could trace a animal from field to table, or that was their intent. they should also do this with farm fresh items so they could icsolate this issue instead of a massive recall. The FDA failed the people again, and caused this death and sickness, by not reacting faster.

[allr1ghtn0w]

What money deal sparked the Spinach War vs E-coli? What is the scientific evidence sparking the outbreak of fear? What is the real culprit? Money, Spinach or "fear"? What motivates Americans to be so eager to jump on the "News Bandwagon?"

1. Americans allow abortions, yet they become afraid of Spinach.

2. Americans consume mind-altering drugs, yet they become afraid of Spinach.

3. Americans consume Cialis and Viagra, yet become afraid of Spinach.

4. Americans consume birth-control pills "assuming" they are "safe", rather than exercising self-control, yet become afraid of Spinach.

5. Americans consume birth-control and abortion pills aimed at women yet fail to ask where are the "impotent" pills for men? Instead there is "Cialis" and Viagra.

6. Americans allow the medical killing of the elderly and the disabled, yet become afraid of Spinach.

America's head and common sense is in the toilet so why worry about Spinach?

[nothappyatall]

"Adding some dish soap to the water and leaving the leaves afloat or dipped will remove up to 99.5% of the Bacterium
leaves in a steam stream for a short period of exposure, in chinese-type of steaming devices. This may denature some of the content and destroy a part of the Vitamin C, but still offers a big deal of the above-mentioned nutrients"

Do you REALLY want to eat food that has been contaminated by FECAL waste even if washed off??
Youc an also get all the vitamin C and the other vitamins you need- with a vitamin tablet.
Most people get plenty of them just eating normal food.

[vitka-2009]

Popeye is totally freaking out right now.

[reginaregina]

"From what I've heard, Subway restaurants will never resume serving fresh spinach as a sandwich topping, sorry to disappoint the spinach-loving Subway regulars out there!"

If true, that's just crazy...an extreme overreaction. It's not like E. coli is an inherent part of spinach, specifically. It's just as likely to be a problem with many other foodsources.

Would Subway start selling only 'naked' sandwiches if they somehow got one shipment of moldy bread???

[grazinggoat]

Spinach is a good food full of vitamins namely A, C, potassium (K) and Iron (Fe) and many others. Obviously it's a good food. Escherichia Coli is a bacterium found into the Digestive tractus of humans and animals. It's strange that such an E.coli contamination had occured with such a nice food. Washing any food should be performed prior to consumption. Most often, Once is not enough.

Adding some dish soap to the water and leaving the leaves afloat or dipped will remove up to 99.5% of the Bacterium, which is safe at that point. A good way of increasing the safety is by steaming the leaves in a steam stream for a short period of exposure, in chinese-type of steaming devices. This may denature some of the content and destroy a part of the Vitamin C, but still offers a big deal of the above-mentioned nutrients

Replacing spinach with green roman lettuce, green, red, or yellow pepper will do the same effects. Again washed at least once if not thrice.
Bon appetit

[lnb_1986]

I worked in a Subway restaurant for 5 years, and we served fresh spinach, and when I heard about that E. coli outbreak, I went to my old store on my lunch break to see if they had stopped selling it, luckily they had. I really scared me to hear that, because I had tons of regulars there who always got spinach on their sandwiches, and I prayed that the outbreak hadn't hit my town. From what I've heard, Subway restaurants will never resume serving fresh spinach as a sandwich topping, sorry to disappoint the spinach-loving Subway regulars out there!

[danamarie825]

just to let you know, you cannot boil e-coli off of the spinach. E-coli doesnt get killed until the temperature of the food reached 165 degrees. the same thing with chop meat. if you were to try to heat spinach up to 165 degrees it would be burnt to a crisp... sorry but the news was incorrect.

-Dana-Marie
(Culinary Arts student at Wilson Tech in Dix Hills)