BellaOnline Forums Food and Wine Low Carb Spinach and E Coli

I would, but when I buy fresh food it's not always easy to tell when it's from. The store has items marked as "from the usa" or "from chile" or whatever...not from salinas county, California.

Meg

That's interesting that washing wouldn't have helped; because that's the primary thing the USDA and the CDC says helps prevent e-coli infections from spreading through fruit and vegetables.

The Mayo Clinic's current commentary states: "Wash raw produce thoroughly, using plenty of running water and a scrub brush or a vegetable wash. Children, older adults and people with weakened immune systems should avoid alfalfa sprouts." http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/e-coli/DG00005

Of course, they also say not all e-coli strains are created equal and some are heartier than others.

Here we go - this is the CNN article -

http://www.cnn.com/2006/HEALTH/09/15/tainted.spinach.ap/index.html

"The FDA warned people nationwide not to eat spinach. Washing won't get rid of the bacteria, though thorough cooking can kill it."

I don't think water kills e coli. You can hope that you remove it all, but if any is left, it is still alive. So the only way to know you've killed it is to actually subject it to a lethal situation, i.e. boiling water.

Meg - that's an interesting point - I really would believe that right now spinach is labelled with its specific source, given the issues. But I haven't been in a supermarket recently to see. I will try to get to one in the next few days to check that out!

I have been eating spinach since young & no I'm not bothered about this piece of news , I just continue eating them whenever I got the chance to

I eat a lot of spinach, but I mostly eat cooked spinach, so the news hasn't caused me to change my diet. I do hope they get to the bottom of all this soon though!

Julie

I go to the grocery store once a week, sometimes two or three times. I havent seen spinach, fresh or bagged,in weeks...there was still none today. I could probably get it at the farmer's market but I think that has ended for the year, not sure.

I've been making do with frozen but I miss my fresh spinach salad!!!!

Meg

My husband and I vacationed at Sunriver Resort in Central Oregon. They had a terrible out break of E Coli from the well water. Everyone just boiled their water for food purposes and drank bottled water.

I love spinach cooked and love it in salad. I live in Oregon and people are eating it and are ok. I am like Popeye the Sailor Man...I eats me spinach!

News reported another spinach related death in Idaho today. A child this time.

Last night I was making coleslaw (bag from Fresh Express, normally I don't buy bagged stuff but I hate cutting coleslaw, LOL) and I looked when we got home and lo & behold it was from Salinas, CA.

I threw it out even though it had no spinach in it.

meg