Spinach Ban Lifted, But it’s Not Back on Local Shelves Yet

In the wake of last month’s recall of spinach due to an E. coli scare that alarmed the nation — followed late last week by an announcement the leafy greens could once again be safely eaten — local grocers are still not carrying spinach products and aren’t sure when shelves will be stocked once again.

“It’s a huge loss to the farmer and the grocery store,” said Ralphs Fresh Fare manager Mark Heredia. “It’s a good-selling product and it’s such a shame.”

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced on Sept. 29 that all spinach implicated in the current E. coli O157:H7 outbreak was traced back to Natural Selection Foods LLC of San Juan Bautista, Calif. This was based on epidemiological and laboratory evidence obtained and coordinated by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Natural Selection Foods issued a recall of all products suspected to be contaminated on Sept. 15. In addition, four other companies have issued secondary recalls because they received products from Natural Selections.

According to La Cañada Flintridge resident Dr. Laurene Mascola, chief of the Acute Communicable Disease Control Program, LA County Public Health, County of Los Angeles, the actual source of the contamination hasn’t been identified, though the geographic area has. Processed spinach, including frozen or canned was not part of the recall.

“Spinach involved in the current outbreak is from fields only in the California counties of Monterey, San Benito and Santa Clara only. All other spinach is safe to eat,” Mascola said.

“E. coli 0157:H7 is significant because there is no treatment for it as there is with Salmonella, for instance,” Mascola said. “There are food-borne outbreaks all the time but this one is more dangerous than other food borne bacteria and viruses; one, because the bacteria makes a toxin and two, because there is no treatment.

“Hemolytic uremic syndrome is a rare complication from infection with this bacteria and usually affects the very young, very old or those with compromised immune systems. Once this toxin is released, it can’t be treated. Your kidneys shut down and your blood system is affected, which involves getting a low platelet count and you become anemic. This happens in up to 5% of cases and that in itself is significant,” Mascola said.

The CDC reports that there are an estimated 73,000 cases of E.coli 0157:H7 or E.coli occurring in the United States annually and over 60 people perish as a result.

“More and more outbreaks are occurring with leafy vegetables and some are harder to wash than others. The pathogens can even get into the nooks and crannies. Leafy plants are not like eggplant; they are more difficult to wash,” Mascola said. “If something went wrong in the washing process then that is the problem, although the FDA doesn’t recommend rewashing pre-cut, bagged produce if the bags state they have been pre-washed.”

Mascola added there is always the rare risk of an acquiring an infection when eating raw rather than cooked food.

“People need to be aware, but there is more contamination risk occurring in our homes versus restaurants or from buying bagged produce in a grocery store. Think of how lax we can be; restaurants are inspected, grocery stores are inspected. Our home kitchens are not,” she said.

“Be as healthy as you can be to begin with and that means to eat vegetables.The ban has been lifted,” Mascola said.

Georges Ghaby, owner of Hill Street Café, reports he has not been using fresh spinach in his menu, but only previously frozen spinach.

“Even that, we cook,” Ghaby said. “We know our supplier and we are very careful.”