URGENT NEWS **E. coli alert** - bagged spinach

[southerngale]

I quit buying bagged salad a while back after my sister told me about it being linked to E. coli. I just did a quick search and it looks like the possible link "only" affected 11 people...nobody died. They had a brand and specific date code on the affected bags though, quite different from this case.

I LOVE salads and just started making my own. I don't know why I thought the bagged spinach would be different, but I just started buying it more often recently. Come to think of it, last week sometime I was up late with horrible stomach cramps. I remember telling senor in chat that my stomach was killing me and I had to go take something and lay down. I'm sure that wasn't from the spinach though LOL as I was better the next day.

Another thing...I have been buying raw baby carrots for years and love to snack on them. Lately, I've been getting more and more bags that seem a bit "slimy" - various brands. They all had good dates too. So I'm back to peeling regular ol carrots and eating them like Bugs Bunny. I guess the lazy man's way to eating salad and raw veggies doesn't pay off.

[TexasStooge]

20 states now!

http://www.cnn.com/2006/HEALTH/09/15/ta ... index.html

Over 100 sickened.

20 States now?! Uh-oh!!

[Extremeweatherguy]

they recently dropped it back to 19 states.

[Miss Mary]

FDA found the source of this latest E. coli outbreak - bagged spinach, sold under these brand names: Rave Spinach, Natural Selection Foods, Dole, Earthbound Farm, Trader Joe's, Ready Pac and Green Harvest. So it's been confirmed now, it is indeed from bagged spinach.

http://www.cnn.com/2006/HEALTH/09/15/ta ... index.html

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,214119,00.html

[O Town]

Great news. But I still won't be eating any spinach or pre bagged lettuces for a long time.

[southerngale]

FDA found the source of this latest E. coli outbreak - bagged spinach, sold under these brand names: Rave Spinach, Natural Selection Foods, Dole, Earthbound Farm, Trader Joe's, Ready Pac and Green Harvest. So it's been confirmed now, it is indeed from bagged spinach.

http://www.cnn.com/2006/HEALTH/09/15/ta ... index.html

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,214119,00.html

So my Popeye's bagged spinach should be ok! Yeah, like I could actually eat it now. After doing a search on "bagged salad e. coli" I'm not sure I'll be eating ANY salad, even freshly made, for quite a while, and believe me, that hurts. I LOVE salads and eat them often!

[artist]

NOT just bags of spinach -

Natural Selection Foods has recalled all packages of its fresh spinach and any salad with spinach in a blend because they are possibly contaminated with E. coli. The affected packages have “Best if Used by Dates” of Aug. 17 through Oct. 1. Consumers with questions can contact the company at 800-690-3200. The recalled brands are:
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.Act
Pro-Mark
Rave Spinach
Ready Pac
River Ranch
Riverside Farms
Snoboy
Superior
Sysco
Tanimura & Antle
The Farmer’s Market
Trader Joe’s

[Miss Mary]

Artist - thank you so much for that comprehensive list.

Kelly/southerngale - do not trust any bagged spinach. That's my advice. And like OTown/Kelly, I wouldn't trust any bagged salads either.

I'm avoiding that entire section of the grocery right now. And quite possibly, I might even go back to making my own!

Thanks again artist.

Mary

[HurricaneGirl]

[whereverwx]

Are the grocery stores themselves taking any precautions like throwing away or sending all the spinach to a special facility where professionals can examine it so that way consumers have no access to it?

[Brent]

Are the grocery stores themselves taking any precautions like throwing away or sending all the spinach to a special facility where professionals can examine it so that way consumers have no access to it?

I know a lot of stores yesterday were just removing it all from the shelves and throwing it out.

[alicia-w]

i wonder what the chances are that you can get your money back if you return it to the grocery store....

[artist]

if you contact the co. they will send you a refund.

[breeze]

I love baby spinach leaves - much better than iceburg lettuce, which reminds
me of crunchy water!

This is another one of those times that I wish for a small greenhouse!

Maybe I'll win the lottery.....

[O Town]

I love baby spinach leaves - much better than iceburg lettuce, which reminds
me of crunchy water!

This is another one of those times that I wish for a small greenhouse!

Maybe I'll win the lottery.....

I agree with ya there breeze, I wish I could grow alot of my own vegis. Don't have the room to do it as it stands now. Maybe one day........

[pojo]

the lone death in Wis was in Manitowoc... 30 minutes E of Appleton/Menasha... that's a little close for comfort.

Glad I dont' like Spinach

[Miss Mary]

In addition to throwing out produce (at home or in grocery stores), you really have to stop and think before you order out. A local diner was featured on the news yesterday. A patron was about to order a veggie or spinach omelette. The news crew said you might want to rethink that! I would like to think restaurants and chefs are considering what goes into their entrees. My oldest daughter is a vegetarian and even I cautioned her. She orders veggie burgers a lot, if they're offered on a menu. I know tofu and bread crumbs are in them, but a variety of veggies are also. Spinach is a good filler, in veggie options.

So just think before you order out, also. I know spinach was available on pizza's at one local chain, but it was probably originally frozen.

Be careful everyone.

Mary

PS - breeze, I'm with you. I love baby spinach salads too. But not right now. One of the reasons bagged spinach was so convenient is all the leaves were already removed from the bunch and washed. That's a ton of work if you buy it in bulk.

[Josephine96]

I know for me.. I've just thrown all my spinach out.. No bagged spinach. I'm not even selling fresh spinach right now.. I aint taking chances..

[Miss Mary]

The local 12 year old Cincinnatian recovering from E. coli at our Children's Hospital, ate spinach on a sandwich from Subway. She'll recover but her father said what the source was - Subway! Which I'm sure buys their spinach in bags.

http://news.cincypost.com/apps/pbcs.dll ... /609160363

This outbreak makes you just stop and think before you order. That's all I'm trying to convey. It goes beyond just pitching your own bagged spinach. I'm sure most if not all Subway's are not offering spinach on their subs, but it could happen. Just be forewarned.

Mary

[azsnowman]

i don't have to worry about getting sick....."I HATES Spinach!" I yam what I yam