LAT: FDA OKs Spinach, With Reservations (and lack of enthusiasm)

[DeepModem Mom]

FDA OKs Spinach, With Reservations
Officials say most of the vegetable is 'as safe as it was before this event.' But concerns linger over conditions in the Salinas Valley, where the E. coli-tainted product came from.
By Mary Engel, Times Staff Writer
September 30, 2006

Is it safe to eat spinach?

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration Friday answered that question with a qualified yes, lifting a warning against eating fresh bagged spinach from California's Central Coast — except for certain products already recalled because of a nationwide E. coli outbreak.

But officials didn't exactly declare spinach risk-free.

"Based on where we are at this point of the investigation," said David Acheson, chief medical officer for the FDA's food safety division, "it is as safe as it was before this event."...

***

....in a news teleconference Friday, Acheson sounded anything but enthusiastic about lifting the advisory. He took note of the 20 E. coli outbreaks from lettuce and spinach since 1995, nine involving the Salinas Valley.

"Until some fundamental fixes are put in place in the areas where this contamination is happening," he said, "there is obviously a concern that two months from now we'll be having the same conversation, talking about outbreak number 21."...

http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-spinach30sep30,0,1884439.story?coll=la-home-local

[Whoa_Nelly]

1. Gosh, thanks FDA! Am sure it's just as safe as Ground Zero in 2001

So when more people become ill or die, who is going to sue the FDA?

[PSPS]

2. This whole thing always sounded fishy

How can a bacterial contamination affect crops grown in a geographically diverse area at the same time?

Remember the Jack in the Box fiasco years ago when people were dying from e-coli in tainted meat that they undercooked? That was easily traced to the packing plant that produced the hamburger for the chain.

In this case, how can an entire valley, with many different farms, all have an outbreak of bacterial contamination simultaneously? And didn't I read that spinach produced in a different state was also affected?

[TreasonousBastard]

3. They use manure as fertilizer...

while around here there aren't many cattle, so other fertilizers are used. Might be something about how they feed California milk cows.

[sandnsea]

9. Irrigation water

It could have gotten into an irrigation canal that watered several farms. I don't know exactly what you mean by a different state - but e coli in vegetables has happened before. And the spinach was packaged under a few brands that went all over the country.

[Truthiness Inspector]

4. Not good

If they aren't sure it's safe why are they lifting the ban?

I'll be sticking with arugula, bok choy, etc.

[TreasonousBastard]

5. Jeez, just cook the stuff...

we got farmers around here plowing their spinach under because nobody's buying, thanks to the hysteria. And our spinach is germ-free and picked daily.

I even see people throwing out frozen spinach.

I eat a pound or two of the stuff every week, and it's kinda bothersome that it will get ridiculously expensive or hard to find. Or both.

E. coli is killed by cooking, so just forget the salads and eat creamed spinach, spinach omelets...

[RevolutionStartsNow]

6. Spinach/gorgonzola ravioli...

Actually I love raw spinach best, in a salad. I had my kids eating it for years as "lettuce".

Very sad what will happen to the farmers over this hysteria.

[sandnsea]

10. YUCK!!

All stores have to do is let us know the spinach is locally grown. They could even raise the price. I can't stand cooked spinach or cooked greens of any kind, ick ick ick. I do miss my fresh spinach though, I'm not eating it unless I get it locally.

[allisonthegreat]

7. I will say this..Triple Washed, lol!

Triple washed??? I will never trust that again even if I am in a big fat hurry!

[leesa]

8. Are you really this fearful of everything? Get a grip.