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E.COLI / SPINACH ISSUE CONTINUES AS FDA LOOKS FOR THE SOURCE
The spinach and E.coli issue continues to dominate the news as Food and Drug Administration investigators try to pinpoint the source. On the FDA advisory to consumers about eating fresh spinach either in bulk or bagged form, retailers pulled the product from their shelves and shippers stopped sending the product to market.
E.COLI / SPINACH ISSUE CONTINUES AS FDA LOOKS FOR THE SOURCE
The spinach and E.coli issue continues to dominate the news as Food and Drug Administration investigators try to pinpoint the source. On the FDA advisory to consumers about eating fresh spinach either in bulk or bagged form, retailers pulled the product from their shelves and shippers stopped sending the product to market. At this date, shippers are reformulating spring mixes to exclude the spinach ingredient and retailers are reporting that sales of other bagged salads have neither spiked nor plummeted. Consumers appear to have heeded the FDA warning but are continuing their normal produce purchases, with the exception of spinach products.
WG staff is working closely with FDA and the California Department of Health Services and its grower-shipper members to answer questions and concerns and move this issue to a speedy conclusion. Though there have been numerous press reports speculating as to the cause and source of the E.coli outbreak, the FDA has not gone beyond its advisory warning consumers against eating spinach because of its ongoing investigation. For more information, please contact hgiclas [at] wga.com 949-885-2205
Western Growers Food Safety Resources
Helpful Links:
http://www.fda.gov/oc/opacom/hottopics/spinach.html
http://www.dhs.ca.gov/opa/ecoli/
http://www.cdc.gov/foodborne/ecolispinach/
http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/spinacqa.html
http://www.ebfarm.com/press/SpinachUpdates/
http://www.riverranchfreshfoods.com/
The spinach and E.coli issue continues to dominate the news as Food and Drug Administration investigators try to pinpoint the source. On the FDA advisory to consumers about eating fresh spinach either in bulk or bagged form, retailers pulled the product from their shelves and shippers stopped sending the product to market. At this date, shippers are reformulating spring mixes to exclude the spinach ingredient and retailers are reporting that sales of other bagged salads have neither spiked nor plummeted. Consumers appear to have heeded the FDA warning but are continuing their normal produce purchases, with the exception of spinach products.
WG staff is working closely with FDA and the California Department of Health Services and its grower-shipper members to answer questions and concerns and move this issue to a speedy conclusion. Though there have been numerous press reports speculating as to the cause and source of the E.coli outbreak, the FDA has not gone beyond its advisory warning consumers against eating spinach because of its ongoing investigation. For more information, please contact hgiclas [at] wga.com 949-885-2205
Western Growers Food Safety Resources
Helpful Links:
http://www.fda.gov/oc/opacom/hottopics/spinach.html
http://www.dhs.ca.gov/opa/ecoli/
http://www.cdc.gov/foodborne/ecolispinach/
http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/spinacqa.html
http://www.ebfarm.com/press/SpinachUpdates/
http://www.riverranchfreshfoods.com/
For more information:
http://www.wga.com/public/active/siteBuild...
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E. coli O157:H7 Outbreak from Fresh Spinach
Update on Multi-State Outbreak of E. coli O157:H7 Infections From Fresh Spinach, September 21, 2006
Contact CDC
* 800-CDC-INFO
888-232-6348 (TTY)
cdcinfo [at] cdc.gov
* Report a Foodborne Illness
As of 1 PM (ET) September 21, 2006, Thursday, 157 persons infected with the outbreak strain of E. coli O157:H7 have been reported to CDC from 23 states.
Among the ill persons, 83 (52%) were hospitalized, 27 (17%) developed a type of kidney failure called hemolytic-uremic syndrome (HUS), and an adult in Wisconsin died. One hundred thirteen (71%) were female and 11 (7%) were children under 5 years old. Among ill persons who provided the date when their illnesses began, 92% became ill between August 19 and September 5. The case with the earliest illness onset known to be associated with consumption of fresh spinach began having symptoms on August 19.
Idaho is currently investigating a suspect case in a 2-year-old child with HUS who died on September 20 and reportedly had recently consumed spinach. E. coli O157 has not been detected in the child.
The states that have reported cases are Arizona (4 cases), California (1), Colorado (1), Connecticut (3), Idaho (4), Illinois (1), Indiana (8), Kentucky (7), Maine (2), Michigan (4), Minnesota (2), Nebraska (8), New Mexico (5), Nevada (1), New York (11), Ohio (20), Oregon (5), Pennsylvania (7), Utah (17), Virginia (1), Washington (3), Wisconsin (41), and Wyoming (1).
CDC Advice for Consumers
The following is advice for consumers about this outbreak:
* Currently, we are advising consumers to not eat any fresh spinach or salad blends containing fresh spinach that are consumed raw.
* E. coli O157:H7 in spinach can be killed by cooking at 160° Fahrenheit for 15 seconds. (Water boils at 212° Fahrenheit.) If spinach is cooked in a frying pan, and all parts do not reach 160° Fahrenheit, all bacteria may not be killed. If consumers choose to cook the spinach, they should not allow the raw spinach to contaminate other foods and food contact surfaces, and they should wash hands, utensils, and surfaces with hot, soapy water before and after handling the spinach.
* Persons who develop diarrhea after consuming fresh spinach or salad blends containing fresh spinach are urged to visit their health care provider and ask that their stool specimen be tested for E. coli O157.
* Persons who ate fresh spinach or salad blends and feel well do not need to see a health care provider.
More Information
For more information about the outbreak, about the investigation, and for prevention guidance, see E. coli O157:H7 Outbreak from Fresh Spinach.
Page last modified September 20, 2006
Content source: National Center for Infectious Diseases
Update on Multi-State Outbreak of E. coli O157:H7 Infections From Fresh Spinach, September 21, 2006
Contact CDC
* 800-CDC-INFO
888-232-6348 (TTY)
cdcinfo [at] cdc.gov
* Report a Foodborne Illness
As of 1 PM (ET) September 21, 2006, Thursday, 157 persons infected with the outbreak strain of E. coli O157:H7 have been reported to CDC from 23 states.
Among the ill persons, 83 (52%) were hospitalized, 27 (17%) developed a type of kidney failure called hemolytic-uremic syndrome (HUS), and an adult in Wisconsin died. One hundred thirteen (71%) were female and 11 (7%) were children under 5 years old. Among ill persons who provided the date when their illnesses began, 92% became ill between August 19 and September 5. The case with the earliest illness onset known to be associated with consumption of fresh spinach began having symptoms on August 19.
Idaho is currently investigating a suspect case in a 2-year-old child with HUS who died on September 20 and reportedly had recently consumed spinach. E. coli O157 has not been detected in the child.
The states that have reported cases are Arizona (4 cases), California (1), Colorado (1), Connecticut (3), Idaho (4), Illinois (1), Indiana (8), Kentucky (7), Maine (2), Michigan (4), Minnesota (2), Nebraska (8), New Mexico (5), Nevada (1), New York (11), Ohio (20), Oregon (5), Pennsylvania (7), Utah (17), Virginia (1), Washington (3), Wisconsin (41), and Wyoming (1).
CDC Advice for Consumers
The following is advice for consumers about this outbreak:
* Currently, we are advising consumers to not eat any fresh spinach or salad blends containing fresh spinach that are consumed raw.
* E. coli O157:H7 in spinach can be killed by cooking at 160° Fahrenheit for 15 seconds. (Water boils at 212° Fahrenheit.) If spinach is cooked in a frying pan, and all parts do not reach 160° Fahrenheit, all bacteria may not be killed. If consumers choose to cook the spinach, they should not allow the raw spinach to contaminate other foods and food contact surfaces, and they should wash hands, utensils, and surfaces with hot, soapy water before and after handling the spinach.
* Persons who develop diarrhea after consuming fresh spinach or salad blends containing fresh spinach are urged to visit their health care provider and ask that their stool specimen be tested for E. coli O157.
* Persons who ate fresh spinach or salad blends and feel well do not need to see a health care provider.
More Information
For more information about the outbreak, about the investigation, and for prevention guidance, see E. coli O157:H7 Outbreak from Fresh Spinach.
Page last modified September 20, 2006
Content source: National Center for Infectious Diseases
For more information:
http://www.cdc.gov/foodborne/ecolispinach/...
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