E.coli spinach outbreak spreads across US

(Filed: 18/09/2006)

The number of people sickened by an E. coli outbreak traced to packs of spinach has climbed to 109.

	The E.coli is a deadly bacterium that causes bloody diarrhea and dehydration.

"This is unquestionably a significant outbreak in terms of E. coli," Dr. David Acheson, chief medical officer with the Food and Drug Administration's Centre for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, said.

The outbreak has prompted food producers Natural Selection to recall 34 brands, including the company's own label brands and those of other companies that had contracts with Natural Selection to produce or package its spinach.

Yesterday, River Ranch Fresh Foods of California, added to its recall spring mixes containing spinach, FDA officials said. All contain spinach purchased from Natural Selection, they said.

The recalls came as the federal Centres for Disease Control and Prevention intervened to help investigate the outbreak, which has killed a 77-year-old Wisconsin woman, officials said.

In Ohio, state health officials said they were investigating the death of a 23-month-old girl who was sickened by E. coli to determine whether the case was related to the outbreak. The girl's mother said she often buys bagged spinach.

E. coli cases linked to tainted spinach have been reported in 19 states, including California, Idaho, Kentucky, Maine and Wisconsin, according to the CDC.

The Food and Drug Administration continued to warn consumers not to eat fresh spinach or products containing fresh spinach until further notice.

Article taken from

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