September 22nd, 2006 - Barbara Feiner
 Some consumers erroneously believe pesticide use would protect the public from an E. coli outbreak.
“I do not know of any pesticides, used in appropriate concentrations, that would kill E. coli O157:H7,” says Carolyn Hovde Bohach, PhD, a professor of microbiology at the University of Idaho.
So, what, exactly, is the problem?
“First of all, just for some perspective, the spinach is not to blame,” says Michael Greger, MD, director of public health and animal agriculture for the Farm Animal Welfare Division of The Humane Society of the United States. “E. coli is an intestinal bug, and plants don’t have intestines. Any diseases found on produce likely came from contamination with livestock fecal material. Our intensive confinement system of industrialized animal agriculture produces more than 1 billion tons of manure each year in the United States—the weight of 10,000 Nimitz-class aircraft carriers. We crowd billions of animals a year into these crowded, stressful, filthy conditions. No wonder we are plagued with the increasingly common emergence of infectious foodborne disease. Factory farms are a public health menace. We shouldn’t have to cook the crap out of our food.
“There is no significant difference in fecal contamination between certified organic and conventional produce, according to a study published by University of Minnesota researchers in 2004,” Dr. Greger continues. “There is a misconception that manure is only spread on organic crops. Raw manure and even toxic sewer sludge are spread on conventional crops, whereas the use of raw manure is strictly regulated in organic production, and sewer sludge is not allowed.”
One of the key words in Dr. Greger’s comments is “certified” organic.
Growers can contaminate produce if they use improperly composted manure or manure teas as fertilizers, Dr. Bohach explains. This strain of E. coli, she says, “can live in raw manure for more than 21 months and can survive in manure through freeze thaws and through hot weather. It is very dangerous to use improperly composted manures. Likewise, it is very dangerous to eat fresh vegetables that have been irrigated with manure-contaminated water or from fields that have flooded with runoff from cattle farms.”
Dr. Bohach notes that pathogens are killed when manure is properly composted.
Our Complete Coverage (Chronological)
Spinach and E. Coli Outbreak
Spinach Woes
Shopping for Bagged Greens
Is It Safe to Eat Frozen Spinach?
Read More: Organic Farming and E. Coli Outbreak
Tags: ecoli, organic farming, outbreak, spinach
Posted in Health, Organic Food | Comments Off
September 21st, 2006 - Barbara Feiner
After reading my recent blog posts, my mother emailed to ask if frozen spinach is safe. And last night, while I was shopping at Trader Joe’s, a woman was returning a bag of frozen spinach “just to play it safe.”
If you’ve missed eating spinach over the last week, here’s how you can get your organic food fix. The FDA has officially stated: “At this time, FDA has no evidence that frozen spinach, canned spinach and spinach included in pre-made meals manufactured by food companies are affected.” (These products are cooked before they’re packaged.)
The Latest Statistics
The most recent FDA update:
- We’re now at 146 cases of illness due to E. coli infection, including 23 cases of hemolytic uremic syndrome, 76 hospitalizations and one death. Illnesses continue to be reported to the CDC.
- Arizona and Colorado have been added to the list of states with confirmed cases. There are now 23 affected states: Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Utah, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin and Wyoming.
- The New Mexico Department of Health announced it has linked a sample from a package of spinach with a patient’s illness. The package that tested positive was Dole Baby Spinach, Best if Used by Aug. 30.
- The FDA advises consumers to avoid eating fresh spinach or products that contain fresh spinach until further notice. Fresh spinach includes bagged spinach, spinach in a clamshell and loose spinach purchased from retail establishments (supermarkets, restaurants and farmer’s markets).
Another Recall
On Tuesday, RLB Food Distributors of West Caldwell, New Jersey, initiated a voluntary recall of certain salad products that may contain spinach with an “Enjoy Thru” date of 9/20/06.
Products recalled are Balducci’s Mesclun Mix 5 oz., Balducci’s Organic Baby Spinach 5 oz., Balducci’s Mixed Greens 5 oz., FreshPro Mesclun Mix 5 oz. , FreshPro Organic Baby Spinach 5 oz., FreshPro Mixed Greens 5 oz., FreshPro Salad Mix with Italian Dressing 4.75 oz. and FreshPro Salad Mix with Ranch Dressing 5.25 oz.
Our Complete Coverage (Chronological)
Read More: Is It Safe to Eat Frozen Spinach?
Tags: ecoli, frozen spinach, spinach, vegetables
Posted in Organic Food | 3 Comments »
September 20th, 2006 - Barbara Feiner
With the recent E. coli outbreak traced to packaged spinach, what can smart organic consumers do to make sure their produce is safe?
Greens pose several challenges, according to Dr. Sam Beattie, an assistant professor of food science and human nutrition at Iowa State University. It’s almost impossible to ensure there will be no pathogenic microorganisms on any raw agricultural product.
“Cut spinach and other packaged greens, by their nature, cannot be thermally processed to kill pathogens,” Dr. Beattie says. “Secondly, chemical inactivation of the pathogens is difficult because of the product. Lastly, control over the animals that overfly, graze, slither, crawl and are otherwise naturally present in a field is impossible.
“The outbreak in question,” he continues, “could have come from something as simple as deer excrement on or near the leaves of a plant. The actual feces may be washed off by rain, irrigation or other means, but the contamination has occurred.”
Dr. Beattie offers the following guidelines for buying bagged greens:
- Buy from reputable stores that have adequate cooling and a “first in, first out” inventory method.
- Look for code dates on bags.
- Look for obvious signs of product deterioration: brown or wilted leaves, overly moist or wet leaves, water accumulation in the bag and/or swollen bags.
- Once purchased, keep cut produce cold.
- Washing with cold running water will do little to remove bacteria, but will freshen the product.
Dr. Beattie does not recommend any type of chemical sanitizer for use on produce in the home setting.
OrganicAuthority.com will continue to provide updates through this blog as part of our commitment to organic living.
Our Complete Coverage (Chronological)
Spinach and E. Coli Outbreak
Spinach Woes
Read More: Shopping for Bagged Greens
Tags: ecoli, greens, outbreak, spinach
Posted in Organic Food | Comments Off
September 19th, 2006 - Barbara Feiner
An update on the E. coli outbreak from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC):
- The FDA is still advising consumers not to eat any fresh spinach or salad blends containing fresh spinach that are consumed raw (organic and nonorganic).
- E. coli in spinach can be killed by cooking it at 160°F for 15 seconds. (Water boils at 212°F.) If spinach is cooked in a frying pan and all parts do not reach 160°F, all bacteria may not be killed.
- If consumers choose to cook spinach, they should avoid cross-contamination with other foods and cooking surfaces.
- Wash hands, utensils and surfaces with hot, soapy water before and after handling the spinach.
- If you develop diarrhea after consuming fresh spinach or salad blends that contain it, contact your healthcare provider. Have a stool specimen tested for E. coli.
- If you ate fresh spinach or salad blends before the outbreak was announced and you feel well, you do not need to see a healthcare provider.
According to the FDA, there are now 21 confirmed states with infected consumers (two more than reported previously): California, Connecticut, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Utah, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin and Wyoming.
OrganicAuthority.com will continue to provide updates through this blog as part of our commitment to organic living.
Read More: Spinach Woes
Tags: bacteria, ecoli, FDA, spinach
Posted in Health, Organic Food | Comments Off
February 8th, 2006 - Barbara Feiner
Spinach is one of my favorite vegetables, and it’s a nutritional powerhouse when you shop for fresh organic food any time of year.
As Popeye can attest, this leafy green is a one-stop source for vitamins A and C, iron, beta carotene and folic acid. In fact, one serving (1½ cups of shredded spinach) has only 30 calories, with no fat or cholesterol. When calculating your daily nutritional needs, note that it meets 20% of fiber, 70% of vitamin A, 25% of vitamin C, 20% of iron and 6% of your calcium requirements.
Tracey Seaman, a team member at the new magazine Every Day with Rachael Ray, offers a great solution to cooking and storing fresh spinach in the magazine’s premier issue. She buys a large bag (about 2½ lbs.) and makes a spinach salad for dinner. Then she steams the rest, running it under cool water to stop the cooking process and squeezing it dry.
“The cooked spinach keeps in the fridge for four or five days, which is enough time to use it in omelets or grilled cheese sandwiches or any number of side dishes,” Seaman writes. “I like to sauté it with chopped onion and add cream and milk for a quick creamed spinach.” (I always add a dash of nutmeg to any spinach dish to augment its natural flavor.)
You can subscribe to Food Network host Rachael Ray’s new magazine by clicking here.
Read More: Quick Organic Spinach Ideas
Tags: food recipes, organic ingredients, spinach, vegetables
Posted in Organic, Organic Food | Comments Off
|
|
|
