WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The nation's largest grower of organic produce said on Friday it had voluntarily recalled fresh spinach products sold in the United States, Mexico and Canada after the U.S. government said they could be linked to a deadly and worsening
E. coli outbreak.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration said one person died, 14 suffered kidney failure and at least 94 in 20 states were ill after eating suspected contaminated pre-packaged spinach, at least some of it packed by California-based Natural Selection Foods LLC/Earthbound Farm.

"The best advice to consumers is, if you don't know if it's pre-packaged or not, avoid it," Dr. David Acheson, the agency's chief officer for food safety, warned consumers.

Wisconsin health authorities said the E. coli fatality was a 77-year-old woman from Manitowoc who died September 7. The FDA said 29 cases of E. coli were reported to the Centers of Disease Control in Wisconsin alone.

Acheson told reporters more cases were being reported continually and the recall could be extended to other firms.

Cases were reported in California, Indiana, Idaho, Kentucky, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, New Mexico, Nevada, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Utah, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin and Wyoming.

Acheson called the outbreak "significant," but said there had been previous cases of E. coli contaminated lettuce and spinach. He said the federal government was continuing its investigation to isolate the cause of the contamination.

Patients infected with the bacterial illness told researchers they had eaten pre-packaged spinach packed by Natural Selection, including some sold under the Dole label, prompting the company to start its recall, Acheson said.

But he emphasized that no E. coli had been found in any specific Natural Selection products thus far.

Natural Selection/Earthbound Farm, based in San Juan Bautista, California, says it is the largest U.S. grower and shipper of organic produce, supplying nearly three quarters of all U.S. supermarkets and with a presence in every U.S. city.

SUPERMARKETS CLEAR SHELVES

In a statement on its website, the company said it was recalling "all of the products which contain spinach in all the brands we pack with 'Best if Used by Dates' of August 17 through October 1st." It said the brands included Dole, Natural Selections foods, Price of San Juan, Emeril, Trader Joe's, Ready Pac, Sysco, Fresh Point, River Ranch, among others.

U.S. supermarkets cleared shelves of bagged fresh spinach, and some removed all fresh spinach after news of the outbreak.

Whole Foods Market Inc. and Wild Oats Markets Inc., the top two natural and organic grocers, and Supervalu Inc., the No. 2 U.S. grocery chain, said they have pulled all fresh spinach from their stores.

E. coli O157:H7 is a potentially deadly bacterium that causes bloody diarrhea and dehydration. Children, the elderly and people with weak immune systems are at the highest risk.

"Until they get it solved, I will keep my menu away from any items with spinach," said South Milwaukee deli operator Greg Castle, 48.

California produces 68 percent of U.S. spinach and had a 2005 crop worth $106.5 million, a spokesman said. Its largest production center is around Salinas, in central California.

Heather Jones, an analyst at BB&T Capital Markets, said any impact on bagged spinach sales was likely to be short-lived. An E. coli scare on Dole Food Co. prepackaged salads last year only affected sales for two months, she said.

Shares of Chiquita Brands International Inc., which owns No. 1 U.S. bagged salad company Fresh Express, closed down about 1.4 percent at $17.14. The No. 2 bagged produce company, Dole Food Co., is privately held.

Sysco Corp., which distributes produce to restaurants, cafeterias and other food vendors, said it has told its companies to stop shipping spinach products.

Posted by BRIGGS:

Lox+cream cheese on a biali with a choclate milkshake while Im watching the Knicks--now thats living baby:)

Posted by Silverfuel:

Posted by BRIGGS:

Once you hit 80+, you're all done anyway, even if you hit 110. You just sit around telling people how old you are while they increase the size of your diaper. I'd rather eat what I want in moderation than eat some d am bug-ridden leaf 5 times a day.

Life is short? You live only once? This is same logic that the heroin & cocaine addicts use. Organic foods have a lot of advantages.

Posted by EnySpree:

Posted by martin:

Posted by BRIGGS:

Lox+cream cheese on a biali with a choclate milkshake while Im watching the Knicks--now thats living baby:)

Beer, chips, dip all while watching Knicks. Heaven (if they win).

Yo Briggs I would imagine you have your cable set up in the bathroom after a game snack like that! Geez!

I like to tear down a large papa johns pizza with olives and a 2 liter of diet Pepsi.

Geez imagine the doo doo party we could throw between Martin, Briggs, and myself. Good times man, lol.

Posted by gunsnewing:

exactly man! with all the stress we go through daily the last thing im concerned about is eating what I want to eat in moderation. Now if everything is perfect in someone's life then I can understand paying close attention to every little health risk. brazilians, portuguese, italians, russians etc have been eating a ton of red meat, carbs, deserts for ages and live well into their 80s. My grandfather(mom's dad) died of cancer because he was a serious alcoholic. My grandmother(dad's mom) passed away a few years ago from cancer of the esphogus at 74. My other grandmother is well over 80 and still strong although she had to cut down on sweets because of diabetes. My other grandfather is almost 80, walks with a hunch because he overworked himself and man I've never seen someone like red meat as much as he does lol and his father(my great grandfather) passed away recently at 99. There are so many health risks to keep an eye on if you want to be perfect

[Edited by - gunsnewing on 09-17-2006 9:29 PM]