FDA warns of E. coli outbreak due to spinach

October 2006

The FDA issued an alert about an E. coli O157:H7 outbreak in several states in September.

Evidence from public health laboratories in New Mexico and Utah linked the outbreak to bagged fresh spinach, according to an FDA press release. FDA officials advised people to avoid consuming bagged spinach or salads containing spinach until further notice. The FDA also urged anyone who had recently consumed bagged spinach and has foodborne illness symptoms to seek health care assistance immediately. These symptoms include vomiting, diarrhea and fever.

“Given the severity of this illness and the seriousness of the outbreak, FDA believes that a warning to consumers is needed,” Robert Brackett, PhD, director of the FDA’s Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, said in a press release at the time of the initial alert. “We are working closely with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and state and local agencies to determine the cause and scope of the problem.”

Widespread outbreak

Two weeks after the report’s original release on Sept. 14, the CDC had reported 187 illnesses due to E. coli nationwide. In addition, the E. coli outbreak was responsible for 29 Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome cases, 97 hospitalizations and one confirmed death: a 77-year-old woman from Wisconsin. The CDC reported two other deaths were under investigation.

Reports of patients who developed E. coli were widespread. Twenty-six states were investigated; Wisconsin reported the most cases. One case was also reported in Canada. According to the FDA, affected products may have also been distributed to Mexico, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Iceland, though no E. coli-related illnesses were reported in these countries.

Brackett said that the FDA and CDC worked together with state and local agencies to determine the cause of the recent E. coli outbreak.

Initially, the FDA determined that the source of the outbreak was spinach grown in three California counties: Monterey, San Benito and Santa Clara.

Further epidemiological and laboratory evidence traced the outbreak to one company in San Juan Bautista, Calif.: Natural Selection Foods.

Natural Selection Foods recalled all spinach products under multiple brand names that had a date code of October 1 or earlier. Several other food companies in California also recalled products.

Consumers beware

The FDA advised that spinach grown in other areas of the United States is safe to consume. In addition, the FDA said processed spinach (canned and frozen) was also safe. The FDA said other foods grown in these three California counties were not affected by the outbreak.

FDA officials said they would continue to investigate whether other companies’ spinach may also be involved.

For more information:

• Visit the FDA’s Web site at www.fda.gov and www.fda.gov/oc/opacom/hottopics/spinach.html for updates as well as CDC’s Web site for updates at www.cdc.gov/foodborne/ecolispinach.