Twenty States Affected by E. Coli Outbreak

An E. coli outbreak affecting twenty states has been traced to tainted bagged spinach. Authorities say that even washing the affected vegetables will not remove the threat. E. coli is a bacterium that resides in the lower intestines of mammals and is spread through contact with feces.



One person has already died from exposure to these bacteria and the threat is not to be taken lightly. Grocery stores are ridding their shelves of the bagged spinach, but what has been sold must be discarded by those who have bought the tainted bags. Meanwhile, the list of states affected continues to grow.

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[edit on 2006/9/15 by GradyPhilpott]

Well, this morning when we found out about it at work, we went ahead and trashed every bit of spinach we had in those bags. Though our state isn't highlighted, it was better to be safe than sorry. My hopes that they can contain this, and that the people affected will be ok.

I've never seen 20 pounds of spinach thrown away at one time before, it was a shame, but not worth the chance, like I said.

Let's hope that it's contained before more die. Currently over one hundred have fallen ill, five of whom live here in Beranlillo County, New Mexico.

The food supply. The weak link in the chain. Makes you wonder...

This is a bad outbreak of e coli Unfortunately, we have met the enemy, and it's usually us I think back to the 1985 Aldicarb poisoning of watermelon--a pesticide that was not supposed to be used on watermelon.
As I drive by sludge (biosolid) carriers on the highway, I wonder upon what field will they end--edible crops or...? Gives new meaning to "eat sh**."

I can not believe it is so weird but I am a fresh spinach lover, but for some reason I have not bought any in the last two weeks.

Funny.

Okay for those of you who don't want to read the story, or feel this does include what you buy, here's the list of brands and affected states.

Other states reporting cases were: California, Connecticut, Idaho, Indiana, Kentucky, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, New Mexico, Nevada, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Utah, Virginia, Washington and Wyoming, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

They are sold as Rave Spinach, Natural Selection Foods, Dole, Earthbound Farm, Trader Joe’s, Ready Pac, Green Harvest, among other brand names.

www.msnbc.msn.com...

Originally posted by DontTreadOnMe

They are sold as Rave Spinach, Natural Selection Foods, Dole, Earthbound Farm, Trader Joe’s, Ready Pac, Green Harvest, among other brand names.

www.msnbc.msn.com...

Natural Selection Foods. Hmmm. Maybe there is a conspiracy here!

...the results suggest that edible portions of a plant can become contaminated without direct exposure to a pathogen but rather through transport of the pathogen into the plant by the root system.

Rutgers University January 2002 Applied and Environmental Microbiology
www.scienceblog.com...

This is interesting, as E. coli O157:H7 bacteria was found to travel up the root system. It will be interesting to see what exactly caused this current outbreak. We normally associate fecal matter contamination with animal products (such as hamburger), but fruits and vegies can apparently become contaminated not just by improper washing of hands by those working with food.


I think I just got the joke about the Natural Selection Foods. Grady, that was a funny one!

[edit on 15-9-2006 by desert]

Some have suggested that the contamination could have come from animal fecal matter in the irrigation water. That hypothesis works well with desert's post.

Originally posted by GradyPhilpott
... animal fecal matter in the irrigation water.

Now, this does get interesting. California farm land is crisscrossed with smaller canals, sloughs, and ditches from which farmers get water for irrigation (unless water is from a well). Into these waterways could flow runoff from dairies. Normally dairies have holding ponds (called lagoons), which are collection points for cow fecal or other waste. Lagoon water can be applied to, for example, dairy feed crops legally. Hmmmm, could this have been a source of contamination? Or could it have been biosolid runoff? Plot thickens.

Sometimes I see people fishing in the smaller canals, and I think of all the contamination from chemicals, pesticides, and now fecal matter runoff, and I think, yechhh!

What are the Symptoms? Because ive been feeling really sick since Monday

Originally posted by The_Time_is_now
What are the Symptoms? Because ive been feeling really sick since Monday

here you go dude:

news.bbc.co.uk...

So you think it's "animal fecal matter" do you?

How about there are no restrooms in the fields for human
fecal matter...
Haven't heard about the rice patty field workers have you.

I live in a major agricultural area in California ... in fact I drive through 20 miles of agricultural fields on my way to work each day. When there are workers out in the field there are port-a-potties on trailers that they carry around on the buses for them to use. Not that they couldn't of leaked or something .. it'll be interesting to see where they trace this contamination back to.

Originally posted by LL1
So you think it's "animal fecal matter" do you?

How about there are no restrooms in the fields for human
fecal matter...
Haven't heard about the rice patty field workers have you.

LL1, while human waste could be a factor, farm workers are supposed to be supplied with field sanitation facilities (for example, the porta potties carried on labor contractor trailers). Where these porta potties are dumped is another matter. But...

If this spinach has come from the Salinas Valley (which it most likely has), then here is something that raised my hair...

Expanded sampling in the Santa Rita Creek and the Salinas Valley area indicate that creeks and rivers in the Salinas watershed are contaminated periodically with E. coli O157:H7.

69.41.173.145...
The above is from the US Food and Drug Administration! Worth a read in its entirety.

Originally posted by GradyPhilpott

E. coli is a bacterium that resides in the lower intestines of mammals and is spread through contact with feces.

There are numerous new strains of e coli - and the old rules no longer apply. For example, some of the new strains are airborne.

A bit like the new rabies strains.

We're talking mutation = virulence + multiple vectors. ...Sound familiar?

Originally posted by LL1
So you think it's "animal fecal matter" do you?

How about there are no restrooms in the fields for human
fecal matter...
Haven't heard about the rice patty field workers have you.

Not true as the above posted stated there are porta potties wherever workers are at least in the Salinas area whenever we drive through. In fact its the law to provide such facilites

What's the common denominator for all of these brands? Could they all be buying from the same vendor/farm? If so...

Could it be the fertilizer?

Did a quick search on new strains of e coli:


1997: EVOLUTION: Bacteria Diversify Through Warfare

2001: New Strains of E coli Identified

2002: OFFICIALS DIFFER ON HOW TO FIGHT NEW E. COLI

2005 Report, Executive Summary: New strains of E coli cause concern

2005: New strains of E coli cause concern

2005: Antibiotic-Resistant E. Coli May Be Spreading in Food Supply

2006: Bagged salads a gamble not worth taking, expert says


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