FDA identifies source of contaminated spinach
Pastor Dale Morgan
FDA identifies source of contaminated spinach*
October 01, 2006 03:00am
Article from: Agence France-Presse
US authorities have identified a California farm collective as the
source of spinach contaminated with E. coli bacteria that has killed one
person and put another 100 in hospital.
"All spinach involved in the current outbreak has traced back to Natural
Selection Foods,'' a collective based in the western community of San
Bautista, California, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said.
Natural Selection Foods had issed a recall notice on September 15, and
four other firms dealing with the products followed suit, the FDA said
in a statement issued yesterday.
But the FDA concluded that the other four were not involved in the wave
of illness that left one person dead and sent 97 others to hospital in
recent weeks.
Embattled spinach producers hailed the FDA announcement.
A statement by the Produce Marketing Association and other groups said
it "clears the way for consumers to once again feel confident that all
of the spinach they consume is safe".
E. coli bacteria can produce nausea, diarrhoea and potentially lethal
kidney problems, particulary threatening people with weak immune systems
such as the elderly and babies.
The outbreak had prompted Canadian authorities to issue a warning
against consumption of spinach from the United States.