Health: E Coli Outbreak in Bagged Spinach in 10 States.

[tucsoncoyote]

Related Links: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2006/09/15/BAGARL68QF20.DTL&type=health

http://www.courant.com/news/local/hc-15145203.apds.m0372.bc-ct--tainsep15,0,2893888.story?coll=hc-utility-home

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/14841731/

Well this isn't Surprising ... Considering that people in the US Have Poor Health Habits. But still Finding the Deadly E.Coli in bagged Spinach. well that's very surprising indeed.

E. Coli Bacteria in just the Last 12 years has been in and out of the news. Usuaully this bacteria which causes a severe and possibly fatal (if left Untreated) cases of Food Poisoning. and it's not surprising this is the 3rd Case I've heard about in the last 12 years. Most of the E.Coli Outbreaks usually occurr in Undercooked meat.. But this is the First time I've heard that this has happened in bagged Spinach.

But what are you thoughts on this? Feel free to Comment.

Oh and is there a way to prevent E.Coli? There sure is..

Wach your hands, and Wash the Spinach.. that way you can eliminate a lot of this problem.

But let's hear from the "Peanut Gallery." after all it would be funny to see somone Comment that Popeye might get a Case of E.Coli.

:coyote:

[Dr. OneWay]

It's in my state. But I have nothing to worry about, because I surely don't eat bagged spinach . . . although my mom does. Oh deer, better scamper off and inform her.

[Dr.Pepper]

Its in my state too.:(

[Roman Legion]

Well this isn't Surprising ... Considering that people in the US Have Poor Health Habits. But still Finding the Deadly E.Coli in bagged Spinach. well that's very surprising indeed.I must have missed the link between poor health habits and the presence of E. Coli on spinach... so, what was your point?


Oh and is there a way to prevent E.Coli? There sure is.. Wach your hands, and Wash the Spinach.. that way you can eliminate a lot of this problem.While washing your hands and your veggies is always a good idea, do note that...


The Food and Drug Administration . . . said washing it wouldn't solve the problem because the bacteria are too tightly attached.

--Romey

[WolfieKiwi]

Living without spinach for a long while or just a few months isn't torture, but out of all the veggies or fruits... It had to be spinach? :( damn..

[Humble]

It'll be just my luck to get sick from spinach in the campus cafeteria. I hope this isn't the reason why I've been feeling queasy lately... :(

-Humble

[PeppeRaskell1]

I would be funny to see somone Comment that Popeye might get a Case of E.Coli.:coyote:

Everybody always beats me to the punchlines!:p

Kinda reminds me of that "How Green Is My Spinach" cartoon where Bluto tried to weaken Popeye by destroying the world's spinach crop. (But that's another forum...)

Anyway, back to the Real World. Doesn't look like there's gonna be any fresh spinach salad in the Shop-Rite snack bar for a while...

PeppeRaskell1
"Back to the ol' Iceberg lettuce..."

[Kagetsu]

I must have missed the link between poor health habits and the presence of E. Coli on spinach... so, what was your point?

While washing your hands and your veggies is always a good idea, do note that...

The Food and Drug Administration . . . said washing it wouldn't solve the problem because the bacteria are too tightly attached.

--Romey Yes you beat me to it. To wash something free of bacteria, really requires soap, and several minutes of scrubbing. No one does that with vegetables. Cooking is the only real way to stop it. (how many times have you watched someone just run water over their hands in the bathroom. A complete waste of time)

E.Coli only comes from animal feces, so vegetable contamination usually comes from the fertilizer. There is some kind of processing requirements to help lessen the bac count, but I couldn't tel you what exactly. As Nafta eliminated alot of the trade restrictions, it was said that this sort of thing would increase, but you couldn't prove it by me.

Anyway, back to the Real World. Doesn't look like there's gonna be any fresh spinach salad in the Shop-Rite snack bar for a while... The real concern is that this time it's spinache, but everything grown near the ground could have this.

It'll be just my luck to get sick from spinach in the campus cafeteria. I hope this isn't the reason why I've been feeling queasy lately... images/smilies/frown.gif I'd heard once that many short term "stomach ailments" are from light food poisoning of some kind, just the "critter" count wasn't high enough to cause a real problem. Just frequent runs for a toilet to expel the offending items. :p

[tucsoncoyote]

Related Links: http://www.courant.com/news/local/hc-15203444.apds.m0414.bc-ct--tainsep15,0,2304063.story?coll=hc-utility-home

http://bodyandhealth.canada.com/channel_health_news_details.asp?news_id=10715&news_channel_id=145&channel_id=145&rot=11

Well it seems the E. Coli Out break has gotten a lot worse. In fact Some news reports are talking that the "Tainted Bagged Spinach" has been found in at leat 19 states and at least 100 people now have come down with some sort of E. Coli Food Poisoning. and even the Canadians are being told not to eat the bagged spinach, as it seems they're just as fearful of getting E.Coli...

Also they now Advise that if you have any bagged spinach? Toss it out.. Reason being is that even washing the spinach won't help, and in fact may cause it to be spread.

:coyote:

[Dr. OneWay]

Apparently stores aren't stocking their shelves, and even restaurants can't serve spinach because they have no bags :\ My mom was out with her friend for lunch, and she told me that her friend tried to order an omelette's w/spinach, and the waitress told them they can't put the spinach in because they have none. This is bad. And big.

[silverwings]

My mom was out with her friend for lunch, and she told me that her friend tried to order an omelette's w/spinach, and the waitress told them they can't put the spinach in because they have none. This is bad. And big.

Maybe it's because I dislike spinach and therefore am biased, but will going a few weeks without spinach *really* be so bad? It's just spinach. :confused:

[Dr. OneWay]

Maybe it's because I dislike spinach and therefore am biased, but will going a few weeks without spinach *really* be so bad? It's just spinach. :confused:

I could care less, I really hate spinach. I'm just saying that if you can't even get spinach in a restaurant, it must be pretty bad and big.

[sun]

It is a food processing problem that can be "easily" avoided. I am saddened that this company, one of the largest in the U.S. and distributes food in most states, allowed this to happen. I wish a speedy recovery for those who have gotten this illness and also, a huge fine for this unclean company.

Here is another link to the Washington Post. (.probably good for today only) ...that discusses the extensive network of stores that the company distributes food to...............................................................http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/09/15/AR2006091500865.html


This link also tells the other brands that
Natural Selection Foods, widely known for its Earthbound Farm brand, yesterday recalled all its fresh spinach products, along with packaged salads. Quite a list...

Recalled Brands

Natural Selection Foods recalled all packages of its fresh spinach along with its packaged salads that contain spinach


The recalled brands:
Bellissima
Cheney Brothers
Coastline
Compliments
Cross Valley
D'Arrigo Brothers
Dole
Earthbound Farm
Emeril
Fresh Point
Green Harvest
Jansal Valley
Mann
Mills Family Farm
Natural Selection Foods
Nature's Basket
O Organic
Premium Fresh
President's Choice
Pride of San Juan
Pro-Mark
Rave Spinach
Ready Pac
River Ranch
Riverside Farms
Snoboy
Superior
Sysco
Tanimura & Antle
The Farmer's Market
Trader Joe's
-- Associated Press

[tucsoncoyote]

It is a food processing problem that can be "easily" avoided. I am saddened that this company, one of the largest in the U.S. and distributes food in most states, allowed this to happen. I wish a speedy recovery for those who have gotten this illness and also, a huge fine for this unclean company.

Here is another link to the Washington Post. (.probably good for today only) ...that discusses the extensive network of stores that the company distributes food to...............................................................http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/09/15/AR2006091500865.html


This link also tells the other brands that
Natural Selection Foods, widely known for its Earthbound Farm brand, yesterday recalled all its fresh spinach products, along with packaged salads. Quite a list...

Recalled Brands

Natural Selection Foods recalled all packages of its fresh spinach along with its packaged salads that contain spinach


The recalled brands:
Bellissima
Cheney Brothers
Coastline
Compliments
Cross Valley
D'Arrigo Brothers
Dole
Earthbound Farm
Emeril
Fresh Point
Green Harvest
Jansal Valley
Mann
Mills Family Farm
Natural Selection Foods
Nature's Basket
O Organic
Premium Fresh
President's Choice
Pride of San Juan
Pro-Mark
Rave Spinach
Ready Pac
River Ranch
Riverside Farms
Snoboy
Superior
Sysco
Tanimura & Antle
The Farmer's Market
Trader Joe's
-- Associated Press

and the list of brands keeps on growing as reported by this news Report on MSNBC. (http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/14841731/)

That plus the fact that this is now up to 109 people who have fallen ill due to the spinach, with 29 of the illnesses in Wisconsin, and 1 death in the same state..

But the Majority of this outbreak Originated in California in the Salinas Valley where Spinach is one of the Top producing items in that valley, along with Lettuce and other veggies..(Hmmm makes you wonder if we should keep an eye on the Letuce next...)

:coyote:

[Kagetsu]

(Hmmm makes you wonder if we should keep an eye on the Letuce next...)

:coyote: That's the real problem isn't it? We accept that our processed foods are safe,,, but we really can't tell,,,, and there isn't an alternative,,,, good luck all. :sad:

[Kury Wagner]

Everyone I talk to, I ask them if they've eaten bagged spinach recently. It replaced "how are you". Heh.

E Coli isn't new in Wisconsin. It seems like every couple of years we've got a problem. Luckly, my family hasn't gotten it in years. Just a few months ago, a woman in Waukesha was on the news, saying she had it. No one knew where she got it from, since she was the only reported case. They figured her swimming pool, if I remember right.