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

[Kim_in_MN]

I was in our Subway yesterday, and the spinach was gone from the lineup. I actually used to get spinach salads there quite often; probably not anymore though.

Kim

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

[angelwing]

I'm not buying any produce, if it's spinach, what next???

[O Town]

I'm not buying any produce, if it's spinach, what next???

Yes you can't help but think that way, but there is no away around buying some fresh produce, at least for my family. I can buy some frozen stuff but alot of things I like fresh. I would think fruit to be okay ecspecially those that come from a tree. Just leafy products that I am a bit scared about.

[Miss Mary]

I made a salad last night. The old fashioned way, well it the Romaine Lettuce did come from my local produce store, so no I didn't grow it in my greenhouse and/or garden. But I did wash each individual leaf, then again when torn in my collander and once more when the salad was complete.

My daughter said my salad tasted better than any bagged combo. I don't know if that's taste buds talking or the fear of E. coli, but I'm running with it!

It will be a long time before I venture a purchase of bagged salads, any type.

I heard long ago we should wash all produce, vegetables and fruit. I wash the outside of melons, especially. With soap and a scrub brush. Same with apples - straight Ajax dish soap. Heard this tip years ago, for fruit with skins anyway.

No I don't wash lettuce with dish soap but some fruits you can really wash them with soap. Just rinse well.

Back to the spinach story.

Mary

[alicia-w]

we used to buy this vegetable cleaning spray. i cant remember what it was called.

[JonathanBelles]

ill never eat spinach again. i always told my parents it was bad for me.

[kevin]

*expletive* spinach.

[Miss Mary]

25 states affected now and another death confirmed to be from E. coli.

http://www.cnn.com/2006/HEALTH/09/23/ta ... index.html

[angelwing]

I'm waiting for NJ to be ok again to buy spincah from, I love it raw, I hate it cooked, cooked it tastes too much like mushy peas.....

[O Town]

So Hubby brings home some artichoke dip, pre-made by Publix, yesterday with a loaf of french bread. We start snarfing it, ate about 1/2 the container between one of my oldest daughters, hubby, and I. It wasn't till my her twin came home a bit later and said ewwwwww that has spinach in it. It still didn't hit me. It took her another time of saying something before I was like, OMG...duh. And then hubby says ahhhhh maybe thats why they had them on sale. Well yeah, duh. It is probably the frozen stuff they put in the articoke dip. At least that is what I am thinking. Well we just finished off the dip figured we already ate that much, might as well finish it up.

[Persepone]

New Jersey spinach is okay to eat (follow the CNN link) and they grow spinach in New Jersey. Newsweek had some article about some poor New Jersey spinach grower who sees his entire crop (slated to be harvested this week or next) potentially going to waste because he has no customers. I'd give him a call and buy direct!

This is a wake-up call to a bunch of us. Patronize your LOCAL farmers for stuff grown locally. You can get a look at the farm and draw your own conclusion about how they handle produce and other products...

By the way, my personal feeling is that if you go to a farm and buy produce, take it home and wash it, there is a lot less risk than if it goes to some regional processing plant where the produce from 250 farms gets all mixed together...

Our farmers in this country have it really bad as it is--we need to do something to give them a hand--and this spinach thing is terrible for them! But New Jersey spinach is okay--so buy it locally! Give the guy a call!

[Miss Mary]

We occasionally buy Friday's Artichoke & Spinach Dip, in the freezer section. Last time I tried the Kroger brand version of this dip. It was very good.

Now, I have to question buying it, as you pointed out Kelly. Spinach is in a lot more dishes or items on a restaurant menu, other than Spinach Salad. It just makes you stop and think. I could see going to a party and munching on appetizers, talking to people and not really paying attention to what I'm eating, either dipping into A & P dip or actual Spinach Dip, made with the actual frozen spinach.

Good advice as well Persepone! I'm washing all my produce, once again. I got away from doing that and I'm back to it. Not chancing any bagged produce right now either.

Mary

[angelwing]

I drive by tons of farmside produce stands on the way to and from work in NJ, stopped and got me some spinach last night, washed it, woohoo!!!!!!! Boy it tasted so gooooddddd with a little catalina dressing, I'm very happy

[GalvestonDuck]

Well, darn it...I've resisted the temptation for spinach or a salad for this long, eating only the frozen and canned veggies I had. But tonight, I wanted a big salad with all the fixing. First, I went to get Romaine lettuce and something told me to look at the back of the bag. Sure enough - "Salinas, CA." So then I went to the bagged salads. Same thing - "Salinas, CA." I reached up to the top shelf to look at what just the chopped broccoli and cauliflower bags said -- "Salinas, CA."

I know, they said it was just spinach, but I can't help by be leery of the others grown there too. As for the "pick-it-yourself" pile, not gonna go there because I don't know where it's from.

We really need a farmer's market in Galveston.

[Miss Mary]

I'm still leary of salads too, unless I make them. Which is a lot of work!

I just read a link for a warning for carrot juice. That's probably added to certain smoothie recipes possibly? I don't care for it but here's that link, if anyone does drink it:

http://www.wcpo.com/news/2006/local/09/ ... rrots.html

I know - let's just drink water. LOL And skip the salads (which like you, I miss Duckie!).

Mary