Is E. coli the New Threat to Salad Lovers?

  • Thread starter Rach3
  • Start date
In summary, there is a current E. coli outbreak linked to bagged spinach in the United States, causing frustration and fear among consumers. The source of the contamination has not been isolated to a single brand, leading to confusion and difficulty in tracing the origin of the affected spinach. While some believe it could be due to contamination at the packaging plant or distributor, others suggest it could have occurred at the farm. However, it is unclear why individuals affected by the outbreak cannot remember where they purchased the contaminated spinach. Despite the lack of information, officials are advising people to throw out all bagged spinach as a precautionary measure.
  • #1
Rach3
I was hoping these pathogens would restrict themselves to raw meat products, but no, they're not that nice. :frown:

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/09/15/u...&en=0257dbdea7f1ba12&ei=5094&partner=homepage

Very frustrating, nothing worse than the possibility of being killed by a small vegetable (the embarrasment!). I haven't eaten a salad in two days! And now there's a mass spinach-cull in stores and eateries. :cry:
 
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  • #2
I feel your pain!

I eat spinach salad everyday and now I have to throw out the rest of the bag!

Does anyone know specifically from where the spinach is contaminated?
 
  • #3
I'm so glad that I have always hated spinach!

As a new dad, I have been proud to NEVER have allowed spinach in front of my kids! AH HA HA HA HA HA HA HA! REVENGE! REVENGE! HATED SPINACH!

Um,

there's a longer story to that.
 
  • #4
NONE of the people that were affected by bagged spinach remembered where they bought them? There aren't that many brands of bagged spinach at my supermarket, maybe 2-3 tops. It really wouldn't be hard to isolate which were contaminated. I don't get how they don't know which brands or where the spinach came from. Did the e coli also cause amnesia?
 
  • #5
From what I heard, they haven't isolated it to a single brand. The cases have been spread across 20 states! I don't know if that's because too many people have already thrown away the bags and/or forgotten what brand they had to trace it, or because it's multiple brands that are contaminated.

They're telling people to just throw it away, but would it be okay if it was cooked? That just sounds like so much food to be wasting, especially when the majority of it isn't contaminated (it's been 90 cases since August, spread across 20 states...out of how many bags of spinach sold and consumed?)

I blame the baggers in the grocery stores who have a habit of putting the raw chicken in the same bag as the spinach! I kid you not, I've had to tell them to stop just as they were about to do that several times (enough that I wrote to the store and complained about the idiots bagging groceries there...bad enough if they squish my bread and tomatoes with canned goods, but to bag raw meat and fresh vegetables together is insane!)
 
  • #6
Moonbear said:
From what I heard, they haven't isolated it to a single brand.
How can that be? The bagged spinach I've seen has names like Del Monte on it. I wouldn't be surprised that one processing plant sends out produce under several different brands, but can't these people remember where they shop? I mean, there has to be a source that is contaminating the spinach before it is bagged. It is bagged and sealed BEFORE it gets to the grocery store, they're not talking about loose produce you bag yourself.
 
  • #7
Evo said:
How can that be? The bagged spinach I've seen has names like Del Monte on it. I wouldn't be surprised that one processing plant sends out produce under several different brands, but can't these people remember where they shop? I mean, there has to be a source that is contaminating the spinach before it is bagged. It is bagged and sealed BEFORE it gets to the grocery store, they're not talking about loose produce you bag yourself.
Unless it was contaminated in the field or at some distributors location, not at the packaging plant. I don't know if several packing plants receive spinach from the same producers, or really how any of that works. It's not like cattle that each come in with their own identifying eartag that you can trace the farm of origin of every single steak.

As for remembering what brand you buy, I don't know. I don't usually pay any attention to that at all. When I have to resort to lettuce in a bag, there's several brands to choose from, and I only pick through all of them until I find the bag that looks the least wilted. I couldn't even tell you what brands the store carries. You'd think there would be enough cases where they'd still have the bag in the trashcan or the remainder in the fridge to definitely identify the brand they ate, so I can only guess that it's not all the same brand, and something that has to be traced to a producer, and that might not be easy if there's some system where the spinach is getting mixed together from multiple producers.

If they knew there was a specific brand, I don't think they'd be telling people to throw any and all bagged spinach away, they'd be telling them the brand(s) that they should look for.
 
  • #8
Moonbear said:
As for remembering what brand you buy, I don't know. I don't usually pay any attention to that at all.
That's what I don't understand, they don't need to know what brand, only what store. Grocery stores don't usually carry more than 2-3 brands of bagged spinach. If you go to that store, you know what brands they sell and can easily determine where the supplier is. It's a no brainer. Then you check out the couple of suppliers and see if they have contamination or are involved in other lines that could create contamination. It's NOT HARD.

How many different grocery stores do you shop at? How many stores would a single person be buying bagged spinach from in a fairly short time span?

Something just doesn't sound right here.
 
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  • #9
I love my spinach. :(

I really don't want to throw away the rest that I have. :(

I'll wait until next week and everything might be cleared up by then.
 
  • #10
Evo said:
That's what I don't understand, they don't need to know what brand, only what store. Grocery stores don't usually carry more than 2-3 brands of bagged spinach. If you go to that store, you know what brands they sell and can easily determine where the supplier is. It's a no brainer. Then you check out the couple of suppliers and see if they have contamination or are involved in other lines that could create contamination. It's NOT HARD.

How many different grocery stores do you shop at? How many stores would a single person be buying bagged spinach from in a fairly short time span?

Something just doesn't sound right here.

Well, since out of all the spinach sold and eaten in this country, only 90 people have gotten sick over a span of about 3 weeks, maybe just checking at the suppliers isn't giving answers. Here, I shop at two grocery stores, but everywhere else I've lived, I've shopped at 3 or more. I will pretty much only go to one in a week unless I'm looking for something in particular that that one didn't have, but I do know people who coupon clip who will actually shop at 3 or 4 stores in one day to buy everything on sale.

But, it still doesn't help if it's more than one supplier. If my grocery store has 3 brands, and yours has 3 different brands, none coming from the same packaging plant, and we both got sick from E coli, which brand is it? I wonder how they are even certain it's spinach, though, if they can't narrow it down at all? Fresh spinach is a pretty common thing for people to buy and eat, so is that really the only thing these people had in common? You'd think there'd be thousands affected if it was spinach. One truckload would fill a lot of packages.
 
  • #11
Aha! They have identified a source...at least one source, but say there may still be others yet unidentified.

http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060915/NEWS99/60915036

The source of a nationwide E. coli outbreak that killed one person and sickened 100 more has been traced to a California company.

Natural Selection Foods, based in San Juan Bautista, Calif., agreed to recall its bagged spinach products.

But an official from the Food and Drug Admininstration said late Friday there could be other sources of the bacteria.

And another article addressing it:
The nation's largest grower of organic produce said on Friday it had voluntarily recalled fresh spinach products sold in the United States, Mexico and Canada after the U.S. government said they could be linked to a deadly and worsening E. coli outbreak.
http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory?id=2451470

That's for those who think organic food is healthier. :wink:
 
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  • #12
I think this is a huge over reaction. I'm sure they are pretty sure of the source, but are probably afraid to say if they don't yet have conclusive evidence, it could result in a HUGE lawsuit if they can't prove it (the contamination might no longer be present). So, to be on the safe side, they issued a blanket statement to pull all pre-bagged spinach.
 
  • #13
Moonbear said:
But, it still doesn't help if it's more than one supplier. If my grocery store has 3 brands, and yours has 3 different brands, none coming from the same packaging plant, and we both got sick from E coli, which brand is it? I wonder how they are even certain it's spinach, though, if they can't narrow it down at all? Fresh spinach is a pretty common thing for people to buy and eat, so is that really the only thing these people had in common? You'd think there'd be thousands affected if it was spinach. One truckload would fill a lot of packages.

Good point.

Our store only carries one brand and I only shop at one store. :cool:
 
  • #14
Moonbear said:
Aha! They have identified a source...at least one source, but say there may still be others yet unidentified.

http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060915/NEWS99/60915036



And another article addressing it:

http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory?id=2451470

That's for those who think organic food is healthier. :wink:

THANK YOU!

I'll be sure to check out where my Spinach is from.
 
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  • #15
Moonbear said:
You'd think there'd be thousands affected if it was spinach. One truckload would fill a lot of packages.

It's not exactly like spinach plants are sneezing pathogens at each other, now is it? :biggrin:

Here's the culprit, apparently:
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/09/16/u...&en=30600f6e5aa729fa&ei=5094&partner=homepage

"It is possible that the recall and the information will extend beyond Natural Selection Foods and involve other brands and other companies, at other dates," said chief medical officer with the FDA's Center for Food Safety, Doctor David Acheson.

Natural Selection sells many different brand names of spinach including Dole, Trader Joe's, Green Harvest, Ready Pac, Earthbound Farm, Rave Spinach and their own brand of spinach, Natural Selections.
http://en.wikinews.org/wiki/E._coli_outbreak_kills_1_sickens_nearly_100
 
  • #16
Moonbear said:
Aha! They have identified a source...at least one source, but say there may still be others yet unidentified.

http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060915/NEWS99/60915036
Good work detective Moonbear! Hah, "Natural Selection Foods" :rofl: they are an ORGANIC food supplier. :rofl: Well, I guess e coli is organic. :rofl:

They apparently sell under the name Earthbound Foods. http://www.taproduce.com/About/NaturalSelectionsFoods.html
 
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  • #17
Only wikipedia is thoughtful enough to have explained which brands are affected (most of them).

edit: emphasis for clarification - ONE supplier, MANY brands
 
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  • #19
Rach3 said:
Only wikipedia is thoughtful enough to have explained which brands are affected (most of them).
Aha, I only read the NY Times article. Why didn't you say the wikipedia page had a suspect? That makes sense that they had an idea of the source, it made no sense that they didn't.
 
  • #20
Evo said:
Good work detective Moonbear! Hah, "Natural Selection Foods" :rofl: they are an ORGANIC food supplier. :rofl: Well, I guess e coli is organic. :rofl:
Yep, all that poop they spread on the crops instead of synthesized fertilizer is good for you! :uhh:

I'd have been safe. I don't wander over into the organic area of the produce section. I shop in the E. coli-free section. :biggrin:

Does organic also mean the produce can't be washed in the antibacterial solutions that other packaged produce is washed in?
 
  • #21
Evo said:
They apparently sell under the name Earthbound Foods. http://www.taproduce.com/About/NaturalSelectionsFoods.html

They sell under MANY brand names - see the quoted excerpt from wikinews I just posted.
 
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  • #22
Rach3 said:
They sell under MANY brand names - see the quoted excerpt from wikinews I just posted.
I think we're a bit out of sync with posts here. I saw Dole in that list, so checked out their site since I didn't think they were organic. It turns out they have an organic line of produce. So, I'd guess the stuff that isn't labeled organic is probably okay. I can't imagine they'd package the higher priced organic produce in with stuff that's not labeled organic.

That it's limited to organically grown spinach would also explain why there aren't a lot more cases. It's not as large of a market.
 
  • #23
Moonbear said:
I'd have been safe. I don't wander over into the organic area of the produce section. I shop in the E. coli-free section. :biggrin:
:rofl: I'll never eat enough produce in my lifetime for it to matter if there's a bit of wax or pesticide residue. I get more pesticide on me in one day spraying the damn grasshoppers than I'd get in 100 years from eating non-organic produce. It's silly.
 
  • #24
Moonbear said:
It turns out they have an organic line of produce. So, I'd guess the stuff that isn't labeled organic is probably okay.
:biggrin:

That it's limited to organically grown spinach would also explain why there aren't a lot more cases. It's not as large of a market.

I don't understand this reasoning. Why should many more cases be expected otherwise?
 
  • #25
Rach3I don't understand this reasoning. Why [i said:
should[/i] many more cases be expected otherwise?
Because not very many people actually buy "organic" products. The majority of people buy non-organic foods. Therefor, more people would have been affected if it wasn't restricted to "organic" spinach.
 
  • #26
According to the international organic farming organisation IFOAM : The role of organic agriculture, whether in farming, processing, distribution, or consumption, is to sustain and enhance the health of ecosystems and organisms from the smallest in the soil to human beings[1].
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Organic_farming

It's quite simple. What we're doing is enhancing the health of the very smallest of nature's soil dwellers.
 
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  • #27
Evo said:
Because not very many people actually buy "organic" products. The majority of people buy non-organic foods. Therefor, more people would have been affected if it wasn't restricted to "organic" spinach.

That's not what I mean. If this were in the non-organic market, why should we expect very many peope to fall ill? If E. Coli is in the soil, why should it suddenly spread and pathogenize thousands? The physics confuses me.
 
  • #28
Rach3 said:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Organic_farming

It's quite simple. What we're enhancing the health of the very smallest of nature's soil dwellers.
:rofl: :rofl: Yes, they certainly accomplished that. :rofl:
 
  • #29
Rach3 said:
That's not what I mean. If this were in the non-organic market, why should we expect very many peope to fall ill? If E. Coli is in the soil, why should it suddenly spread and pathogenize thousands? The physics confuses me.
No, somehow the E. Coli was physically spread to the raw spinach, I'd guess near harvesting and being processed, or perhaps the "natural" fertilizer that Moonbear mentioned. If they sprayed the plants with raw sewage, erm I mean, "natural fertilizer" too close to harvest... I'll have to read about how long that stuff survives. Obviously long enough to kill people after it's been shipped to the supermarket.
 
  • #30
Rach3 said:
That's not what I mean. If this were in the non-organic market, why should we expect very many peope to fall ill? If E. Coli is in the soil, why should it suddenly spread and pathogenize thousands? The physics confuses me.
We're talking about once contamination has occurred, not how the contamination originated. If the contamination were in the non-organic produce, that's packaged, shipped AND purchased in much higher volumes than organic produce. Not as many bags go home and get eaten with organic foods, so less cases appear.
 
  • #31
So it isn't all salad eaters, Rach3 - just the hippies. :biggrin:
 
  • #32
Rach3 said:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Organic_farming

It's quite simple. What we're doing is enhancing the health of the very smallest of nature's soil dwellers.
:rofl: Now there's a cause for the Animal Right's activists to jump on! Save the E. coli! :rofl: Oh, wait, they're not animals. Darn! Where are the bacteria rights activists?
 
  • #33
Moonbear said:
:rofl: Now there's a cause for the Animal Right's activists to jump on! Save the E. coli! :rofl: Oh, wait, they're not animals. Darn! Where are the bacteria rights activists?

In their proper place in the great pantheon of diversity - between the pro-zygotists and the deep ecologists.
 

1. What is E. coli and how does it affect salad lovers?

E. coli is a type of bacteria that can be found in the intestines of humans and animals. It can cause foodborne illness when ingested through contaminated food, such as raw vegetables like lettuce and spinach. This can lead to symptoms like diarrhea, stomach cramps, and vomiting.

2. How does E. coli get into salads?

E. coli can get into salads through various means, such as contaminated water used to wash the vegetables, improper handling by food workers, or cross-contamination from raw meat or poultry. It can also be present in the soil where the vegetables are grown.

3. How can I protect myself from E. coli in salads?

To protect yourself from E. coli in salads, it is important to thoroughly wash all raw vegetables before consuming them. Additionally, make sure to properly store and handle the vegetables, and avoid cross-contamination with raw meat or poultry. It is also recommended to cook vegetables to a safe internal temperature before consuming.

4. Are all salads at risk for E. coli contamination?

No, not all salads are at risk for E. coli contamination. However, raw vegetables like lettuce and spinach are more susceptible to contamination due to their growing conditions and the fact that they are often consumed raw. Cooked vegetables are less likely to be contaminated with E. coli.

5. What is being done to prevent E. coli outbreaks in salads?

The FDA and CDC have strict guidelines and regulations in place for food producers and handlers to prevent E. coli contamination in salads. This includes regular inspections, proper handling and storage practices, and mandatory recalls of contaminated products. Consumers can also play a role in preventing outbreaks by properly washing and handling their vegetables before consumption.

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