Do not eat that bagged spinach!

[Anna N]

bagged spinach warning

WASHINGTON (AP) -- An outbreak of E. coli in eight states has left at least one person dead and 50 others sick, federal health officials said Thursday in warning consumers not to eat bagged fresh spinach.

The death occurred in Wisconsin, where 20 others were also sickened, said Dr. David Acheson of the Food and Drug Administration's Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition. The outbreak has sickened others -- eight of them seriously -- in Connecticut, Idaho, Indiana, Michigan, New Mexico, Oregon and Utah.

FDA officials do not know the source of the outbreak, other than it appears to be linked to bagged spinach. "We're advising people not to eat it," Acheson said.

[docsconz]

That is bizarre! I would think that there would have to be some common thread between the spinach packages such as the same farm, packaging plant or distributor. i doubt that strictly local arrangements would be an issue other than by chance.

[maggiethecat]

I wonder if the stricken folks cooked it or ate it raw in salads? I'm bummed, mostly for them but also for me: bagged, washed spinach has been, for me, one of those supermarket cello products that have seemed worth buying.

[docsconz]

I wonder if the stricken folks cooked it or ate it raw in salads?  I'm  bummed, mostly for them but also for me: bagged, washed spinach has been, for me, one of those supermarket cello products that have seemed worth buying.

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I would guess that it was eaten raw, as cooked spinach should have killed the e. coli. Unfortunately the article was pretty devoid of detailed information.

[Kent D]

eh...haven't had any reports here in Kansas, sounds like it's safe for me to eat some...oh, wait, I don't eat spinach, and apparently, it's not a very good time to start eating spinach.

[Dave the Cook]

Oh, man. The day was going so well.

I ate bagged spinach tonight -- quickly cooked as part of a bastardized carbonara, so it probably didn't reach the necessary temperature to kill bugs.

I'll keep everyone posted.

[docsconz]

Oh, man. The day was going so well.

I ate bagged spinach tonight -- quickly cooked as part of a bastardized carbonara, so it probably didn't reach the necessary temperature to kill bugs.

I'll keep everyone posted.

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Don't worry the nitrites in the bacon probably killed the bugs.

[mrbigjas]

Oh, man. The day was going so well.

I ate bagged spinach tonight -- quickly cooked as part of a bastardized carbonara, so it probably didn't reach the necessary temperature to kill bugs.

I'll keep everyone posted.

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i did too, in a salad with blue cheese and mushrooms. hey, maybe the penicillium in the blue cheese would kill the e.coli...

[FistFullaRoux]

Bluto wanted for questioning....

And how exactly are parents supposed to get kids to eat fresh vegetables when this crap keeps happening? The overcooked salty canned stuff suddenly seems to be a somewhat safer option in some cases.

[Dave the Cook]

Oh, man. The day was going so well.

I ate bagged spinach tonight -- quickly cooked as part of a bastardized carbonara, so it probably didn't reach the necessary temperature to kill bugs.

I'll keep everyone posted.

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Don't worry the nitrites in the bacon probably killed the bugs.

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Yeah, but there's the fertile ground of half-cooked eggs.

I'm still okay, but it takes about seven hours for an e coli infection to take root. You okay, mrbigjas?

[johnder]

Huh. So much for that bag I bought today.

4 bucks down the tube.

[Dave the Cook]

Huh.  So much for that bag I bought today.

4 bucks down the tube.

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Wimp.

[johnder]

Huh.  So much for that bag I bought today.

4 bucks down the tube.

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Wimp.

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Damn. Fine -- I am going to whip up a late night snack of packaged spinach and raw chicken breast. A household favorite here. I called ahead and the hospital said they had wifi access in the emergency room so I can give a blow by blow of the stomach pumping.

Stay tuned.

[maggiethecat]

I ate bagged spinach tonight -- quickly cooked as part of a bastardized carbonara,

Heavens to Betsy: that's some seroius food miscegenation. But I have every good thought that you'll be better than fine -- you got the good bag, and you tossed it about over heat.

[patticky]

THURSDAY, Sept. 14, 2006, 8:09 p.m.

Not much more info here.

By Associated Press

E. coli outbreak kills one in state

One person has died from the latest outbreak of E. coli to strike Wisconsin, a federal health official said today.

David Acheson, of the Food and Drug Administration's Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, said the outbreak, which has been linked to prepackaged washed spinach, has sickened 50 others in Wisconsin, Connecticut, Idaho, Indiana, Michigan, New Mexico, Oregon and Utah.

Eva Robelia, a spokeswoman for the Wisconsin Department of Health and Family Services, said there have been 20 confirmed cases of E. coli sickness in Wisconsin in seven Wisconsin counties: Milwaukee, Waukesha, Racine, Ozaukee, Dane, Manitowoc and Outagamie.

City of Milwaukee health commissioner Bevan Baker said there have been 11 confirmed cases of E. coli in the city.

[mrbigjas]

Yeah, but there's the fertile ground of half-cooked eggs.

I'm still okay, but it takes about seven hours for an e coli infection to take root. You okay, mrbigjas?

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feelin' fine. but i'm about to go to bed, so if i don't post tomorrow, we'll all know what happened....

OH GOD WHAT HAVE I DONE.

[mizducky]

That is bizarre! I would think that there would have to be some common thread between the spinach packages such as the same farm, packaging plant or distributor. i doubt that strictly local arrangements would be an issue other than by chance.

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I'm guessing such a link will emerge eventually as investigations continue--the authorities are probably just being super-cautious right now until they figure out what the link is. The article suggests it's the same strain of E.Coli in all cases--that, and the timing, do argue pretty strongly for a single infection source. Perhaps it's a less obvious one than a common producer, packager or distributor. (Typhoid Mary, anyone? )

Meanwhile ... damn. I was even looking at spinach in the market today. Glad I bought baby bok choy instead. Still, irrational as it may sound, I'm gonna be washing those puppies within an inch of their lives.

[patticky]

I just read an update of the story. Again, it was suggested to throw out the spinachn since they don't know the brand, area spinach originated etc. But if you must eat it, one person suggested you wash it in warm water. Warm water? That surprised me.

[Anna N]

It was all the ammo my non-veggie-eating hubby needed. As soon as he heard the news on CNN he said, "See, I told you that green stuff can kill you!"

On a more serious side, I have not seen anything in the Canadian press to suggest that there is a problem in this country and yet we import a great deal of our fresh produce from the US.

[tommy]

e coli and death are no laughing matters. however, cnn.com's current headline on the subject is:

"Toss that salad: E. coli outbreak linked to spinach"

[Carolyn Tillie]

e coli and death are no laughing matters.  however, cnn.com's current headline on the subject is:

"Toss that salad: E. coli outbreak linked to spinach"

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Updated, aparently... "FDA: Don't eat bagged spinach."

The bold is mine -- too many people jumping to the conclusions that ALL spinach is bad when it is the BAGGED spinach that is suspect.

Just goes to continue the confirmation that freshly-grown, farmer's market-obtained ingredients are better for everyone. It is the over-wrought processing of our food stuffs that are causing problems.

[Anna N]

e coli and death are no laughing matters.  however, cnn.com's current headline on the subject is:

"Toss that salad: E. coli outbreak linked to spinach"

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Yikes!

Does it give anyone else pause that this alert is so vague, so unrelated to any one source that we might be reading a different headline tomorrow:

Keep the Spinach; Toss the oil!

[mrbigjas]

i don't know why they're telling everyone to throw it away--why not just tell them to cook it? this is how the headline should read:

FDA: SAUTEE BAGGED SPINACH IN OLIVE OIL, WITH GARLIC AND A LITTLE PEPPERONCINO

i mean, after all you absorb the beta carotene and iron and whatnot better from cooked spinach anyway, from what i've read.

[Mimi Sheraton]

I wonder if the stricken folks cooked it or ate it raw in salads?  I'm  bummed, mostly for them but also for me: bagged, washed spinach has been, for me, one of those supermarket cello products that have seemed worth buying.

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I think all accounts, including the one in today's NYTimes say fresh when they mean raw. Not that anyone would want to buy a product known to have e-coli, but cooking does remove much of the danger if not all.dpending upon how long it is cooked.

[Kim Shook]

So what is the difference between bagged and not bagged and why would the not bagged be safer?