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Currently, we are
advising consumers to not eat any fresh spinach or salad blends
containing spinach grown in the three counties in California
implicated in the current E. coli O157:H7 outbreak -- Monterey
County, San Benito County and Santa Clara County. Fresh spinach
grown outside these counties can be safely eaten. Spinach grown
in these counties is often packaged in other areas of the
country. If consumers cannot tell where fresh spinach was grown,
they are advised not to purchase or consume the fresh spinach.
Frozen and canned spinach can be safely eaten.
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E. coli O157:H7 in
spinach can be killed by cooking at 160 degrees F for 15
seconds. (Water boils at 212 degrees.) If spinach is cooked in a
frying pan and all parts do not reach 160 degrees, all bacteria
may not be killed. If consumers choose to cook the spinach, they
should not allow the raw spinach to contaminate other foods and
food contact surfaces, and they should wash hands, utensils, and
surfaces with hot, soapy water before and after handling the
spinach.
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People who develop
diarrhea after consuming fresh spinach or salad blends
containing fresh spinach are urged to contact their health care
provider and ask that their stool specimen be tested for E. coli
O157.
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People who ate
fresh spinach or salad blends and feel well do not need to see a
health care provider.
[U.S.
Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention] |
