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Last Updated: Nov 12th, 2006 - 20:38:00 |
18 Sept - (foodconsumer.org) - Four days after issuing a warning on possible E.coli contamination of fresh bagged spinach, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said 109 people had become sick as a result of the outbreak of E. coli O157:H7 across 19 states. However, the source of the E.coli contamination remains unclear.
FDA officials said people should not consume spinach or any products containing fresh spinach following the outbreak, which has thus far killed a 77-year-old woman in the county of Manitowoc, Wisconsin. Officials said that no further deaths were reported over the weekend, but there were 16 cases of Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome (HUS), the most severe form of E coli illness, reported to the CDC.
HUS is a manifestation of a severe E. coli infection and is a form of kidney failure. HUS is most likely to occur in young children and the elderly. The condition can lead to serious kidney damage and even death.
David Acheson, director of food safety at the Food and Drug Administration, said that although the number of cases had increased rapidly, no additional deaths were reported over the last two days.
The states where E. coli cases have been reported include California, Connecticut, Idaho, Indiana, Kentucky, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Utah, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming, according to the FDA.
On Friday, the FDA said it was able to detect an "epidemiological link" between the outbreak of E. coli O157:H7 and spinach produced by Natural Selection Foods LLC, based out of San Juan Bautista, California.
Responding to this announcement, Natural Selection Foods recalled all its spinach products they pack with "Best if Used by Dates" of August 17, 2006 through October 1, 2006 as a precautionary measure. The affected products are distributed in the US, Canada and Mexico. Products that do not contain spinach are not part of the recall, the FDA said.
The products being recalled for possible E. coli contamination, according to the FDA, are sold under brands including Natural Selection Foods, Pride of San Juan, Earthbound Farm, Bellissima, Dole, 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, and Riverside Farms.
River Ranch, of California, is also recalling packages of spring mix containing spinach from Natural Selections. The following brands are involved: Farmers Market, Hy Vee, Fresh and Easy.
Meanwhile, Natural Selection executives and health officials confirmed on Saturday that no E. coli bacteria had been found in Natural Selection plants or on any salad the company distributed, meaning that other spinach brands and products containing spinach may be implicated in the E.coli outbreak.
Natural Selection Foods is famed for its organic Earthbound Farm brand. The New York Times reported that following the implication of the company in the E.coli outbreak, many consumers wondered whether organic farming practices were at fault.
But Mark A. Kastel, The Cornucopia Institute's Senior Farm Policy Analyst, disputed such a speculation saying an early study by the University of Minnesota published in the May 2004 issue of Journal of Food Protection found there was no statistically significant difference between contamination in vegetables conventionally grown and that in vegetable grown organically.
Natural Selection executives and organic-farming experts have already assured consumers that no such link between organic spinach and E. coli cases has emerged as FDA officials inspected the Earthbound Farm on Thursday as well as Friday, but found no evidence of bacteria. Company officials said later Sunday that E. coli cases are linked only to non-organic spinach.
"We need to get a clear message to consumers," Dr Acheson said. "We are continuing to seek samples of spinach in confirmed cases to test for the presence of the organism, but we have not yet found it." However, the FDA has suggested that one probable cause for the outbreak could be irrigation water contaminated with cattle faeces.
Patti Roberts, a spokeswoman with the California Department of Health Services said that earlier in the summer a pattern was found in E.coli infections. The FDA scrutinized the Salinas Valley in California after investigations seemed to point to lettuce.
In the FDA advisory released September 16, the agency advised consumers to not eat fresh spinach or fresh spinach-containing products until further notice. "If individuals believe they may have experienced symptoms of illness after consuming fresh spinach or fresh spinach-containing products, FDA recommends that they seek medical advice," the notice added.
The E. coli bacterium is normally found in the intestines of people and animals. Only the virulent strains can sicken people, particularly the young children and the elderly. People with compromised immunity are also at risk of developing lethal infections.
The majority of people infected with E. coli can completely recover within 7 days. People can become ill after eating food or water such as fruit, vegetables, juices and raw milk tainted with E. coli O157:H7, a virulent strain that produces a toxin causing an illness. A server form of illness is a diarrhea or abdominal cramps with bloody stools.
The FDA is still monitoring the outbreak. "FDA continues to work closely with the CDC and state and local agencies to determine the cause and scope of the E.coli outbreak in spinach," the agency said in its advisory.
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