Jump to content
  • Welcome to Celiac.com!

    You have found your celiac tribe! Join us and ask questions in our forum, share your story, and connect with others.




  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A1):



    Celiac.com Sponsor (A1-M):


  • Get Celiac.com Updates:
    Support Our Content
    eNewsletter
    Donate

E-coli On Raw Bagged Spinach


GFBetsy

Recommended Posts

GFBetsy Rookie

Hey -

Heard on the news that there have been about 50 cases of E-Coli in the US traced back (apparently) to raw, bagged spinach. They aren't sure which brand yet, or even if the contamination is still going on, but they decided to release the information just in case. ("They" being the CDC, I think.)

Anyway, just a heads-up. The said on the news that it should be okay to eat it cooked, just not raw (for salads, etc.)


Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):
Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):



Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):



Guest ~jules~
Hey -

Heard on the news that there have been about 50 cases of E-Coli in the US traced back (apparently) to raw, bagged spinach. They aren't sure which brand yet, or even if the contamination is still going on, but they decided to release the information just in case. ("They" being the CDC, I think.)

Anyway, just a heads-up. The said on the news that it should be okay to eat it cooked, just not raw (for salads, etc.)

Ya I saw that on my local news tonight around 5 p.m. I guess someone from Oregon passed away because of it, so everyone watch the spinach.....

AndreaB Contributor

I've had raw spinach this week. I believe it's organic, but it is bagged.

bluejeangirl Contributor

A person died from Wisconsin and they are telling us to throw all bagged spinach out. I eat spinach every week but get the stuff in the plastic containers. I'm not sure if its any safer. There's no way I can handle having e-coli in my gut. I'm to immune deficient. I'm wondering if frozen spinach is safer? Any comments?

Gail

VydorScope Proficient

Heres a ton of news on it....

Open Original Shared Link

jenvan Collaborator

Yeah, I've been eating it all week and am finishing the bag off today ! :huh:

cgilsing Enthusiast

Whoa! Thanks for the info! I was going to make a spinach quiche tonight! I'll make sure the spinach is well done! :D


Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):
Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):



Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):



tiredofdoctors Enthusiast

Our local news just said that there are several people here who are very sick from the spinach . . . . .

skinnyminny Enthusiast

I ate spinach yesterday...bagged dole spinach that is I am scared now how long will it take to know if I have it?

skinnyminny Enthusiast

I am a hypocandriac or however you spell that but I have been eating spinach 3 days this week and my tummy is hurting, I hope there is no relation.

pinkpei77 Contributor

hhmmm.. i eat organic local grown spinach here in vermont.

im sure thats safe... what do you guys think?

AndreaB Contributor

Skinnyminny,

I don't know, I don't know what the symptoms are. :(

I just threw out our bagged organic spinach. I had eaten a little of one bag a couple days ago. I figured organic would probably be safe but we didn't want to take any chances. I also threw out the stuff that was in the bin with the spinach and washed the bin with hot sudsy water.

jerseyangel Proficient

On my local news, just a couple minutes ago, they said that even if the affected spinach was re-washed, it probably wouldn't have done any good because it (e-coli) was embedded in the leaves.

I'm thinking about the fact that I eat bagged salad almost every day. I don't wash it--but even if I did, maybe it wouldn't do any good.

I may go back to buying the whole heads of lettuces and wash them myself.

Does anyone have any thoughts about the safety of the bagged greens, in general? The bagged salads are just so convenient, and dry :D

AndreaB Contributor

As far as I know the bagged salads aren't a problem, just the bagged spinach.

jerseyangel Proficient
As far as I know the bagged salads aren't a problem, just the bagged spinach.

I know they aren't connected to this outbreak--I was kind of thinking out loud :)

2kids4me Contributor

Found this bit of info

Enterotoxigenic E.coli bacteria spread in contaminated food — including raw fruits and vegetables, raw seafood, and unpasteurized dairy products — and in contaminated water. Signs and symptoms, which include watery diarrhea and abdominal cramping, usually last just a few days. The infection normally clears on its own without treatment, and most adults and children have no lasting ill effects.

But E. coli O157:H7 is different. It produces a toxin that damages the lining of the small intestine, leading to intense abdominal cramps and severe, bloody diarrhea. You may have 10 or more bowel movements a day, some consisting almost entirely of blood. The marked loss of fluids and electrolytes causes dehydration and fatigue.

Nevertheless, many people recover completely from the infection in five to 10 days. But others, especially older adults, children under the age of 5 and people with weakened immune systems, may develop a serious complication called hemolytic uremic syndrome. This syndrome damages the lining of the tiny blood vessels in the kidneys, sometimes leading to kidney failure.

Even with the best of care, including blood and platelet transfusions and kidney dialysis, a few children die every year of hemolytic uremic syndrome. Others may have lifelong kidney problems or require long-term dialysis. Still others develop further complications such as high blood pressure, seizures, blindness and paralysis.

Open Original Shared Link

OTTAWA (Reuters) - The Canadian government joined the U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Friday in steering people away from fresh bagged spinach from the United States because of possible E. coli contamination.

"We're advising Canadian consumers not to eat bagged fresh spinach from the United States," said Rene Cardinal, spokesman for the Canadian Food Inspection Agency.

One person died and more than 40 people got sick after eating suspected contaminated fresh bagged spinach in the United States. Cardinal said the spinach should not even be eaten cooked.[

Kat-Kat Newbie
hhmmm.. i eat organic local grown spinach here in vermont.

im sure thats safe... what do you guys think?

You are more than likely safe . I am from the farm land What I understand is, the big problem comes from the bag they should not put it in those bags that does not make it safe or better for us. Moisture makes a slime if you feel that trash it and wash your hands right then. The same thing goes for bagged salads, not safe you should ask when you go out to eat. This come from my Doctor to.

bluejeangirl Contributor

Today I was at a large grocery store here in WI. and noticed that all the spinach was gone except the organic in the clear tubs. So just to be sure I asked if these have been safe. He told me the organic is not on the list (the brand they sell is Newmans) of banned spinach. He told me that they knew spinach was causing problems since late august but they weren't told to remove until it hit the news. Sheesh I couldn't believe that.

Gail

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.


  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A19):



  • Member Statistics

    • Total Members
      131,627
    • Most Online (within 30 mins)
      7,748

    kathrynhmarks
    Newest Member
    kathrynhmarks
    Joined

  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A20):


  • Forum Statistics

    • Total Topics
      121.4k
    • Total Posts
      1m

  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A22):





  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A21):



  • Upcoming Events

  • Posts

    • Inkie
      I  notice a reaction to tea bags, possibly due to gluten or other substances. Is this recognizable?
    • trents
      The blood tests you had done are not the main ones. The two main ones are the "Total IGA" (to check for IGA deficiency) and the "TTG-IGA". Current guidelines for the "gluten challenge" when people have been gluten free for a significant time period are the daily consumption of at least10g of gluten (about the amount in 4-6 slices of wheat bread) for at least two weeks leading up to the day of the blood draw. That should give you some perspective.
    • Xravith
      Thank you, really.  I took a test for DGP-IgA and DGP-IgG. Effectively, it is not enough to discard Celiac Disease. I was consuming gluten until then, I only started gluten-free some days ago, when the symptoms became horrible and now I feel considerably better, which is a second confirmation that gluten is the main problem. It's been more than 4 years I have the same suspect, when I first thought gluten was causing me problems, I made a gluten-free diet for a year, I felt really good as never before. However, neither I or my parents were well informed about Celiac disease, so none of us tried to make further exams. My father suffer digestive problems and other members of my family as well. Unfortunately, no one have ever been tested for Celiac disease. I'll have to restart eating gluten in the next weeks, so I can make a serious blood test in laboratory, hopefully between two or three months.
    • trents
      As Scott said, in order for celiac disease testing to be valid, you need to be eating generous amounts of gluten on a regular basis for weeks or months before the blood draw. The blood tests are designed to detect antibodies that the immune system produces in response to the ingestion of gluten. It takes time for them to build up in the blood to detectable levels.
    • Scott Adams
      Based on what you've described, it is absolutely crucial that you pursue further medical exams for Celiac Disease and related conditions with a gastroenterologist. Your symptoms—especially the worsening fatigue, loss of muscle mass, neurological symptoms like migraines, and palpitations, coupled with being underweight—are significant red flags that extend beyond typical IBS. The negative home test is not reliable, particularly given your concern about sample contamination and the fact that you were likely not consuming sufficient gluten at the time for the test to be accurate, which is a common issue. While probiotics like Bifidobacterium Infantis can support gut health, they cannot resolve an autoimmune response to gluten or heal intestinal damage caused by Celiac Disease. Your declining blood test results, even if still "in range," further indicate a trend that needs a doctor's investigation. Please do not hesitate to seek a specialist; a formal diagnosis is the first step toward getting the correct treatment, allowing your body to heal, and finally addressing your weight and overall health concerns. This article might be helpful. It breaks down each type of test, and what a positive results means in terms of the probability that you might have celiac disease. One test that always needs to be done is the IgA Levels/Deficiency Test (often called "Total IGA") because some people are naturally IGA deficient, and if this is the case, then certain blood tests for celiac disease might be false-negative, and other types of tests need to be done to make an accurate diagnosis. The article includes the "Mayo Clinic Protocol," which is the best overall protocol for results to be ~98% accurate.    
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

NOTICE: This site places This site places cookies on your device (Cookie settings). on your device. Continued use is acceptance of our Terms of Use, and Privacy Policy.