posted
We now know the source of the outbreak: A California company called Natural Selection Foods and/or Earthbound Farms.
New details from the wire: WASHINGTON (AP) _ Federal heath officials said Friday that they have traced a nationwide E. coli outbreak to a California company, which has agreed to recall its bagged spinach products.
One person has died and nearly 100 people others became ill in the outbreak, which has spread to about 20 states.
The Food and Drug Administration said late Friday that the outbreak had been linked to bagged spinach products distributed by Natural Selection Foods, based in San Juan Bautista, Calif.
"It is possible that the recall and the information will extend beyond Natural Selection Foods and involve other brands and other companies, at other dates," said Dr. David Acheson, the chief medical officer with the FDA's Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition.
Posts: 1784 | Registered: Jun 2001
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I've heard that the incubation period for E.Coli is usually 3-9 days, but longer or shorter incubation periods are not that unusual (never less than 24 hours. i'd guess that it would never be more than 2 weeks. E.Coli outbreaks actually often come from salad greens, last october there was one in the minneapolis area that was caused by dole salad greens. there have been many other outbreaks that were caused by lettuce or other greens. i found all this out from the website of the Marler/Clark law firm. i don't know how to post links, but if you do an internet search for "About E.Coli"+"Marler Clark" you should find them. the page is called "About E.Coli", and they have information about symptoms, treatment, incubation periods, etc. they also have a list of recent outbreaks, with case information about many of them. Given the number of E.Coli epidemics that have been caused by salad greens, i never eat salads or greens, and i'm certainly not going to start now. i'm surprised that this outbreak has gotten more publcity than all the other ones that have happened recently, given that there have been several major ones in the last year.
Posts: 3 | Registered: Sep 2006
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1 dead. To keep this in perspective, googling for "car accidents US", it seems that today about 117 people died in car accidents. If you've been goofing off for an hour on the Internet like I have, 5 people have died for your goofing off.
I'm more scared about being run over in my chair than dying of spinach. Not that I eat spinach anyways Posts: 7593 | Registered: Sep 2006
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quote:Originally posted by kmbboots: I just felt quite justified in having nice, healthy german potato salad (I make excellent german potato salad) for lunch instead of a scary, disease-ridden, likely-to-kill-me, spinach salad.
I've been looking for a good potato salad recipe for a month or so. It's been hard, since I don't know anyone who makes good potato salad. Would you mind sharing?
My email is blacwolve@gmail.com
Posts: 4655 | Registered: Jan 2002
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blacwolve, German potato salad is not what most people think of when they say potato salad. It's a sweet-and-sour potato dish which is served hot. Usually involving bacon, vinegar, and brown sugar, though I can't speak for kate's recipe.
Posts: 9866 | Registered: Apr 2002
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German potato salad is good. However, blacwolve, if it's the typical American potato salad you're looking for, my mom's recipe always gets rave reviews. One warning, though, it's more of a list of ingredients and approximate amounts, rather than step-by-step instructions. If you want it, I'd be happy to send it to you.
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"Meanwhile, a Seattle law firm said it planned to add Natural Selection Foods on Monday to federal lawsuits already filed in Wisconsin and Oregon that named other spinach producers."
This makes me sick. People were already filing lawsuits when they didn't even know who they should even be blaming. Before they had a company in mind. Suing people just because they happen to sell spinach? Posts: 1990 | Registered: Feb 2001
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quote:Originally posted by theCrowsWife: German potato salad is good. However, blacwolve, if it's the typical American potato salad you're looking for, my mom's recipe always gets rave reviews. One warning, though, it's more of a list of ingredients and approximate amounts, rather than step-by-step instructions. If you want it, I'd be happy to send it to you.
--Mel
That would be absolutely wonderful!
I have a superstitious love for potato salad, to me it represents everything that is good and happy in life. I think it's probably related to my love of potlucks.
Posts: 4655 | Registered: Jan 2002
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From an AP article: They are sold under the brand names Rave Spinach, Natural Selection Foods, Dole, Earthbound Farm, Trader Joe's, Ready Pac and Green Harvest.
For those who have spinach and aren't sure if it's the affected brand.
Posts: 2034 | Registered: Apr 2004
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Here's a listing of more companies, from a CNN article:
quote: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 August 17 through October 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-Mark • Rave Spinach • Ready Pac • River Ranch • Riverside Farms • Snoboy • Superior • Sysco • Tanimura & Antle • The Farmer's Market • Trader Joe's
Source: Natural Selection Foods LLC
More bits from the article:
quote:About 74 percent of the fresh market spinach grown in the U.S. comes from California, according to the California Farm Bureau Federation. There have been previous bacterial contamination outbreaks linked to spinach and lettuce grown in the state.
...
The FDA advised consumers not to eat fresh spinach or products containing fresh spinach until further notice. Some restaurants and retailers may be taking spinach out of bags before selling it, so consumers shouldn't buy it at all, the FDA said.
Boiling contaminated spinach can kill the bacteria but washing won't eliminate it, the CDC warned.
...
Earthbound Farm, which claims it pioneered the retail market in pre-washed, bagged salads in 1986, says its spinach and other products are in 74 percent of U.S. grocery stores.
It also sells spinach to restaurants and other establishments that serve food. The National Restaurant Association said members were pulling spinach from their menus.
Natural Selection Foods is a HUGE processor. It's one of the drawbacks of agribiz consolidation -- when contamination like this happens it can be a much more widespread problem.
Posts: 2911 | Registered: Aug 2001
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It could be a terrorist attack, after all, how can we be expected to fight to the finischk if we do not have our spinichk? The drop in our national will might be critical...
Posts: 475 | Registered: Aug 2006
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That might explain why I was like horribly sick last week... I eat their spinach as salad all the time.
Posts: 2705 | Registered: Sep 2006
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Unfortunately, something like 90% of the fresh spinach in this country comes from this one region of California. (Or so they were reporting.) Moreover, there is some indication that the infection has spread to the spinach growing in other states.
Posts: 32919 | Registered: Mar 2003
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In case you still want german potato salad:
Boil and peel about 3 pound of red potatos (peeling is optional - some folks like it with the peel still on)
Fry 1 pound of bacon. Remove the bacon from the pan, leaving the bacon grease.
Add about a tablespoon of flour to the hot bacon grease to thicken it up.
Add 1 cup of apple cider vinegar and 1 cup of suger (haven't tried brown suger - could be good). Be careful the bacon grease will sizzle when you pour the vinegar. Let this boil down a bit.
Slice the potatos. Add one small onion chopped. Tear up the bacon and add that. Pour the grease, sugar, vinegar mixture. Add a little salt and pepper to taste. Stir it all together and serve very warm.
Posts: 11187 | Registered: Sep 2005
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Yeah. I mean, I know the bacteria can be present in both soil and the wash water, so until they nail down a definite source . . .
And that article said 74% which I admit does seem more plausible than the 90% I heard tossed around this morning.
Posts: 32919 | Registered: Mar 2003
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I recommend the safe and healthy option of german pototo salad (except for Rivka). Mmmmmm...bacon grease and sugar.
Posts: 11187 | Registered: Sep 2005
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quote:Originally posted by General Sax: It could be a terrorist attack, after all, how can we be expected to fight to the finischk if we do not have our spinichk? The drop in our national will might be critical...
Yes, it appears that our new anti-terrorist agents, built after the Popeye model will be left helpless by this new strategy.
Posts: 7593 | Registered: Sep 2006
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quote:Originally posted by kmbboots: I recommend the safe and healthy option of german pototo salad (except for Rivka). Mmmmmm...bacon grease and sugar.
Who knew a heart attack could be so delicious!
Posts: 16059 | Registered: Aug 2000
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At last, my childhood picky-eating habits that I never grew out of have finally paid off!!!
Just wait, next it'll be brocolli, then cauliflour, and every other vegetable, and I alone shall emerge unscathed!
Posts: 23 | Registered: Jun 2006
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