HEALTH WARNING - Don't Eat Bagged Spinach Say Feds

Americans woke up Friday to hearing someone reputable telling them that they did not have to eat their spinach -- Uncle Sam. The Food and Drug Administration says "multiple" cases of a bad strain of E.coli are being reported through multiple states. Fifty cases have been reported to the CDC, including one death.

E. coli O157:H7 causes diarrhea, often with bloody stools. Although most healthy adults can recover completely within a week, some people can develop a form of kidney failure called Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome (HUS). HUS is most likely to occur in young children and the elderly. The condition can lead to serious kidney damage and even death.

Although the government recommendation is voluntary, a national recall of bagged, fresh spinach is within the government's scope of authority. “Given the severity of this illness and the seriousness of the outbreak, FDA believes that a warning to consumers is needed. We are working closely with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and state and local agencies to determine the cause and scope of the problem,” said Dr. Robert Brackett, Director of FDA's Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition (CFSAN).

So for now, you've got a pass for skipping the leafy green stuff.

posted by Consumer Help Web Editorial Team at 7:13 AM |