2008 Woodie Awards
Spinach making its way back to UNH
No E. coli cases reported in New Hampshire
Matt Sanderspn
Issue date: 10/6/06 Section: News
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There has been skepticism toward purchasing or consuming spinach since the Sept. 14 report of an E. coli outbreak. As of Oct. 4, 192 cases of illness have been reported from 26 states, according to the Food and Drug Administration. No cases have come from New Hampshire.
The FDA and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) are concerned more about this recent outbreak than others in the past because of the devastating consequences of the bacterium, and because the direct source of the contamination still hasn't been determined. Also, the fact that this rare food-borne disease is one of the few cases involving fresh, pre-washed, and bagged spinach. Canned or frozen spinach is not being implicated in this recent outbreak.
"This time, they really jumped on the case," said Luke Laborde, associate professor of Penn State's College of Agricultural Sciences, in an interview with PhysOrg.com. "I've never seen such a massive recall and the speed at which they issued advisories. This is unprecedented and consistent with their new approach to get ahead of the curve on outbreaks, alert the stores that have the product, and tell them to get it off the shelves -- all of which they've done -- and begin the investigation to trace back the origin of the contamination as quickly as possible," he said.
This particular strain of E. coli (E. coli 0157:H7) is found not just in unsanitary vegetable produce, but also in meats and poultry. Spinach doesn't need to be singled out, according to Richard Uncles, bureau of market supervisor in the New Hampshire Department of Agriculture.
Left untreated, E. coli can lead to Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome, a rare illness that attacks red blood cells throughout the body and can ultimately lead to kidney failure. Thirty cases of HUS have been reported, and 98 hospitalizations and one death have occurred.
"For several months now, people will keep this in mind about spinach," he said. "Nobody's buying and people are avoiding it like the plague. It's not just spinach."
The FDA and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) are concerned more about this recent outbreak than others in the past because of the devastating consequences of the bacterium, and because the direct source of the contamination still hasn't been determined. Also, the fact that this rare food-borne disease is one of the few cases involving fresh, pre-washed, and bagged spinach. Canned or frozen spinach is not being implicated in this recent outbreak.
"This time, they really jumped on the case," said Luke Laborde, associate professor of Penn State's College of Agricultural Sciences, in an interview with PhysOrg.com. "I've never seen such a massive recall and the speed at which they issued advisories. This is unprecedented and consistent with their new approach to get ahead of the curve on outbreaks, alert the stores that have the product, and tell them to get it off the shelves -- all of which they've done -- and begin the investigation to trace back the origin of the contamination as quickly as possible," he said.
This particular strain of E. coli (E. coli 0157:H7) is found not just in unsanitary vegetable produce, but also in meats and poultry. Spinach doesn't need to be singled out, according to Richard Uncles, bureau of market supervisor in the New Hampshire Department of Agriculture.
Left untreated, E. coli can lead to Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome, a rare illness that attacks red blood cells throughout the body and can ultimately lead to kidney failure. Thirty cases of HUS have been reported, and 98 hospitalizations and one death have occurred.
"For several months now, people will keep this in mind about spinach," he said. "Nobody's buying and people are avoiding it like the plague. It's not just spinach."
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