The Food and Drug Administration advisory against eating any fresh spinach or dishes made from fresh spinach remained Monday as the number of illnesses linked to E. coli across the nation rose past 100, and a second reported death is being investigated for links to contaminated spinach products.
Ohio health workers are investigating the death of a 23-month-old girl from E. coli to determine whether the case was related to the outbreak. The girl?s mother said she often buys bagged spinach.
The FDA warned people not to eat fresh spinach products even if they are washed first. Boiling spinach could kill the E. coli bacteria, but washing will not eliminate any bugs.
“This is the only time health workers will tell you not to eat your spinach,” said Baltimore City Health Commissioner Josh Sharfstein.
State and city health departments do not test produce for pathogens ? that is the FDA?s job ? but they are communicating with hospitals on the lookout for E. coli cases. So far, no one in Maryland has been sickened by the bacteria.
Nationwide, 16 people have been hospitalized with kidney failure caused by E. coli, according to the FDA. Other symptoms include often bloody diarrhea, though most healthy adults will recover within a week with proper hydration.
People have become sick in at least 19 states: California, Connecticut, Idaho, Indiana, Kentucky, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Utah, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin and Wyoming.
No information was directly available about how the contamination occurred, though organic products packaged in the same facilities were not directly implicated.
What?s been recalled?
River Ranch, of California, recalled packages of spring mix containing spinach. River Ranch obtained bulk spring mix containing spinach from grower Natural Selections. The following brands are involved: Farmers Market, Hy Vee, Fresh and Easy. Products that do not contain spinach are not part of this recall.
Natural Selection Foods LLC, of San Juan Bautista, Calif., is recalling all products containing spinach in all brands it packs with “Best if Used by Dates” of Aug. 17 through Oct. 1.
Natural Selection brands include: 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.
Source: FDA
