Posted on 09/15/2006 7:40:56 PM PDT by stlnative
FDA Investigation; Packaged Fresh Spinach Recall
A statement from Natural Selection Foods, LLC.
SAN JUAN BAUTISTA; CALIF; September 15, 2006: We are aware of reports of illnesses in multiple states nationwide including one death, possibly related to e coli contamination in fresh spinach. We have been working closely with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the California Department of Health Services (CDHS) to try to understand the scope and locate the source of any contamination.
In an effort to minimize risk and afford the maximum possible protection to consumers, the FDA and CDHS have recommended that fresh spinach that is currently in the market be recalled. We have decided to voluntarily recall all of the products which contain spinach in all the brands we pack with “Best if Used by Dates” of August 17th through October 1st. Brands include: Dole, Natural Selection Foods, Pride of San Juan, Earthbound Farm, Bellissima, 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, Premium Fresh, Snoboy, The Farmer’s Market, Tanimura & Antle, President’s Choice, Cross Valley, Riverside Farms. Products include spinach and any salad with spinach in a blend, both retail and foodservice products. Products that do not contain spinach are not part of this recall. We are working with the FDA and CDHS to offer consumers the greatest possible protection with the limited information available.
Products were distributed within the United States nationwide, Canada and Mexico. No illnesses have been reported to date outside of the U.S.
E. coli O157:H7 causes diarrhea, often with bloody stools. Although most healthy adults can recover completely within a week, some people can develop a form of kidney failure called Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome (HUS). HUS is most likely to occur in young children, the elderly and people with compromised immune systems. The condition can lead to serious kidney damage and even death. If consumers are experiencing any of these symptoms, contact should be made with their local health provider.
The health and safety of those who consume our products is our top priority today and every day. We remain absolutely committed to providing a safe, nutritious product to all of our customers and we will continue to work with the FDA and CDHS on their ongoing investigation. Consumers requesting additional information may contact Natural Selection Foods at 888-736-2840.
Consumers with any of the products described above should dispose of the products.
Use canned or frozen spinach!
And how is what goes to the canners and the freezers any better than what goes into the bags?
Live we in a plastic bubble?
Today at the school where I work they have stopped carrying raw spinach at the salad bar, and at the restraunt where we ate tonight the waiter said they were not serving their spinach salad (not that I would have eaten it if they were).
This is in S. FL. I suspect it is the same everywhere right now, as they cannot afford to have a case of e coli traced back to something they sold.
susie
Frozen raspberries several years ago made me vomit, violently, twice. (I didn't know what caused it the first time and made another smoothee from them a day or so later - same reaction.)
I never throw up. Knew something was terribly wrong - mouth broke out in sores a few days after that. Grocery said I was the only one who complained, so they didn't refund my money.
I just assumed I had developed an allergy, since I'm allergic to strawberries, but could always eat raspberries before this. Once I got online and read about raspberries (and strawberries, too) from S America - these were from Chile - I wanted to throw up once again. The nooks and crannies are impossible to clean thoroughly.
Or something like that...
Thx
Exactly
I skipped buying a 5-pak of beer tonight
[But it's killing me]
Virgin coladas or otherwise?
Poor you!!
We used to have a 55 gal. cichlid tank. Very nice active tankful of fish. We were lucky enough to purchase one with a mouthful of babies (cannot remember what species, it was almost 30 years ago). Very fun!
susie
Virgin coladas
Are you nuts? What's a colada without rum??
Funny thing, 'spell check' changed my earlier spelling of colada to coloda!!
Heat kills this bacteria. Cooking will kill it, thus you will not get sick.
susie
I hope received some type of punishment for this.
Hey Susie,
So true. They are being very vigilant, which is good. Especially when people like me forget. It's just hard to think of spinach being a cause for e-coli, especialy after the years of eggs/hamburger/etc that the gov. put us through.
I am happy the chef was vigilant, although I miss my salad, but I don't miss the e-coli.
I am glad you and yours are sare.
Point is, the rum did its cleansing thing. You already said you go there a lot, so it didn't pertain to you - I said, "if you're not used to eating there."
I went to MX a lot, too, and never had a problem again after the first 2-3 times when only going once a year. Those were border towns and it always happened 2 days after I got back.
After that, the worst I ever experienced was in Cancun. They have reason to please norte's, believe me. But once that was over with, it never happened again on many, many trips.
E. coli
QUICK FACTS ABOUT E. COLI O157:H7
Name: Esherichia coli (E.coli) O157:H7 Disease: Hemorrhagic Colitis Onset: 2 to 5 days
Symptoms: Severe abdominal cramping and diarrhea, which is initially watery but becomes grossly bloody. Occasionally vomiting occurs. Fever is either low-grade or absent. Some individuals exhibit watery diarrhea only.
Associated foods: Raw or undercooked ground beef, raw milk, some fresh produce, unpasteurized apple juice or cider, alfalfa and radish sprouts.
Prevention: Cook meat to an appropriate temperature; avoid cross-contamination; use sanitary practices; drink pasteurized milk and juice.
THE ORGANISM
The bacterium E. coli O157:H7, also just known as O157, is a rare but dangerous type of E. coli. It lives in the intestinal tracts of mammals and man. Some cattle carry the bacteria. It can be transferred from animal to animal, animal to man, from animal to man on food, and from person to person through close contact or food. E.coli O157:H7 can survive refrigeration and freezer storage. If present, it can multiply slowly even at 44 °F. Thorough cooking to 160 °F is the best safeguard against infection.
The O157 pathogen was recognized in 1982 after the investigation of two outbreaks of a bloody diarrhea syndrome. The outbreaks were traced to undercooked hamburgers served from a fast food chain. Since 1983, an increasing number of O157 infections have been reported in the United States. The actual incidence of infection is not increasing; instead, improved surveillance is prompting increased reporting of outbreaks. In 1993, only 12 states had mandatory reporting laws for O157 infections. By mid-1996, 42 states required reporting of O157 infections. In the 11 years from 1982 to 1993, 32 total outbreaks were documented. In 1994 and 1995, 32 outbreaks were reported each year; 29 outbreaks were reported in 1996. The actual prevalence of the disease may still be underestimated. The organism is difficult to identify if testing is not done during early onset of infection. Individuals with mild cases of illness may not consult a physician, and therefore, the illness goes unreported.
THE DISEASE
The most common symptom of O157 infection is bloody diarrhea. About 10 to 20 percent of patients with bloody diarrhea can develop more severe diseases — hemorrhagic colitis, hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) or thrombotic Thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP).
Hemorrhagic colitis is characterized by severe abdominal cramps, bloody stools, little or no fever, and evidence of erosion and hemorrhage of the colon. Initial symptoms usually occur one to two days after ingestion of contaminated food. The illness can last six to eight days and can be severe enough to result in hospitalization.
Less than 10 percent of cases with bloody diarrhea will develop HUS. HUS causes hemolytic anemia (destruction of red blood cells), affects the central nervous system and causes renal (kidney) failure. Renal failure is the most significant symptom of HUS. About half of the HUS patients require dialysis, and 3 to 5 percent of HUS cases are fatal. TTP has symptoms similar to HUS; however, the most significant is severe neurologic damage. Complications can include seizures, stroke or coma. Renal damage is less severe than with HUS. This disease is primarily found in adults, particularly the elderly. The mortality rate of TTP can be as high as 50 percent.
Infection with E. coli O157:H7 is diagnosed by detecting the bacterium in the stool. Most laboratories that culture stools do not test for E. coli O157:H7, so it is important to request that the stool specimen be tested on sorbitol-MacConkey (SMAC) agar for this organism. All persons who suddenly have diarrhea with blood should get their stool tested for E. coli O157:H7.
Most persons recover without antibiotics or other specific treatment in 5 to 10 days. There is no evidence that antibiotics improve the course of the disease, and it is thought that treatment with some antibiotics may precipitate kidney complica- tions. Antidiarrheal agents, such as loperamide (Imodium), should also be avoided. Hemolytic uremic syndrome is a life-threatening condition usually treated in an intensive care unit. Blood transfusions and kidney dialysis are often required. With intensive care, the death rate for hemolytic uremic syndrome is 3 to 5 percent.
Persons who only have diarrhea usually recover completely. About one-third of persons with hemolytic uremic syndrome have abnormal kidney function many years later, and a few require long-term dialysis. Another 8 percent of persons with hemolytic uremic syndrome have other lifelong complications, such as high blood pressure, seizures, blindness, paralysis and the effects of having part of their bowel removed.
HIGH RISK INDIVIDUALS
Illness from O157 can occur in individuals of any age. Those with the greatest risk include the very young (children under 5 years of age), the elderly (greater than 65 years of age), those who are immunocompromised or already ill, those who have had a gastrectomy, or those who have recently taken antibiotics.
Individuals with compromised immune systems should consult a physician regarding special food and food safety recommendations.
FOOD SOURCES
Undercooked hamburger and roast beef, raw milk, improperly processed cider, contaminated water and mayonnaise, venison, and vegetables grown in cow manure have caused outbreaks in this country over the last 10 years. Samples from retail stores also have shown the organism to be present on lamb, pork and poultry samples, but no illness has been traced to these foods.
E. coli O157:H7 can be transmitted through inadvertent contact with fecal matter during processing of animal foods or because of improper food handling. Improper handling may include contamination by infected food handlers who have not effectively washed their hands before touching the food or utensils that come into contact with the food.
Plant foods can become contaminated from fertilization with raw manure, irrigation with contaminated water or contamination by human contact. Some outbreaks have been attributed to contaminated municipal and recreational water.
PREVENTION STRATEGIES
The severity of diseases caused by O157, the low infectious doses of the organism, and uncertainties about when O157 enters human foods increase the need for special care in food preparation. It is particularly important not to overlook safe food handling strategies for food products that are consumed uncooked, such as fruits, vegetables, sausages and jerky.
While E. coli O157:H7 is a contaminant capable of causing severe disease, it can be effectively controlled by thorough cooking. Cook ground meats (beef, pork, veal, lamb) to a uniform internal temperature of at least 160 °F, ground poultry to 165 °F, non-ground meat cuts such as roasts (beef, veal, lamb) to an internal temperature of at least 145 °F, non-ground pork to 160 °F and poultry to 170 °F. Reheat foods to 160 °F or until steaming hot. Keep hot foods at or above 140 °F and cold foods at or below 40 °F.
Presently, the best assurance against infection of O157 is preventative measures practiced at home.
Cook raw hamburger to the proper internal temperature (160 °F). In a restaurant, make sure a hamburger is thoroughly cooked before eating it. If a hamburger is undercooked, do not be afraid to return it.
Avoid drinking milk, apple juice or cider that is unpasteurized.
Wash hands after handling raw meat products to prevent contamination of other foods.
Wash hands thoroughly and frequently to help prevent person-to-person transmission. This is a particularly important practice to teach children.
Drink water from appropriate public or well sources, not from untreated streams or lakes.
Wash fruits and vegetables thoroughly using only clean, drinkable water.
Carefully follow "keep refrigerated," "sell by" and "use by" dates.
You might find this of interest for surface cleaning:
I agree. I often buy the bagged spinach for salads. I don't happen to have any in the house right now, but I could have easily. I am pretty careful with meat, but I admit to laxity with this bagged stuff. And I'm a biology teacher!
I know we cannot avoid all potential germs, but it seems silly to tempt fate. I don't think I would die, but I really REALLY don't want to be THAT sort of sick!
susie
The kids had virgin coladas. Agree that it can always happen.
I had a bad episode down in Cuidad Victoria and the icy cold marble floors of the hotels didn't help at night, lol.
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