FDA: Tampering Not Suspected in E.Coli-Tainted Spinach

The Food and Drug Administration investigation of the outbreak of E. coli in fresh spinach has linked the bacteria to a California company’s fresh spinach. The outbreak has so far sickened at least 109 people and killed one person. Investigators are still working to identify the source of the bacteria, but Natural Selection Foods LLC, the country’s largest grower of organic produce, is the company that distributed the tainted spinach.

Natural Selection last week recalled 34 brands of fresh spinach products, including the company’s own labels and other labels that produce or package its spinach. River Ranch Fresh Foods, in Salinas, has recalled not only its spinach, but also its spring mixes containing spinach, which carry the labels Hy-Vee, Farmers Market, and Fresh N’ Easy, all of which include spinach purchased from Natural Selection.

The company issued a statement Sunday saying that its organic spinach products had been cleared of any suspicion, but the FDA spokeswoman Susan Bro said that is not the case. "The FDA has not cleared any products from the list and continues to recommend consumers avoid eating fresh spinach products," Bro said. E.coli cases linked to the tainted spinach have occurred in 19 states, with Wisconsin reporting the highest number of cases.

Federal officials continue to stress that although products by Natural Selection have been identified as containing the E. coli bacteria, the outbreak has not been isolated solely to Natural Selection. The FDA and the California Department of Health Services are still working to trace the infected spinach to individual farms, because it could have been contaminated either in the field or during processing. As the investigation continues, other brands may be implicated in the outbreak.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has set up an emergency operations center in Atlanta to help state health agencies test for E. coli in spinach samples and stool samples of infected people. The FDA has warned that consumers shouldn’t buy spinach in any form—either at the store or in a restaurant—because retailers and restaurants may be taking spinach out of bags before selling it, thereby making it impossible to tell where the spinach came from. Boiling contaminated spinach can kill E. coli bacteria, but simply washing it will not eliminate the danger.

The FBI is monitoring the investigation by health officials. FBI spokesman Rich Kolko said that FBI involvement is a routine precautionary measure, and does not indicate suspicion of any criminal activity.