Organic Spinach Recall Precedes Hawaii E-Coli Outbreak
by Andrew Walden
A February 15, 2013 food recall warned of possible Hemorrhagic E Coli contamination of “Taylor Farms Organic Baby Spinach” sold in Hawaii. Now the Hawaii Department of Health is investigating six “molecularly matched E. coli infections with illness onsets from February 19 to March 2, 2013.” That’s just four days after the recall announcement.
Organic food is dangerous. Organic food kills.
Meanwhile not a single human being has ever been shown to have been harmed by GMOs.
Is there a connection? Responding March 27 to an inquiry from Hawai’i Free Press, Michele Nakata of the Hawaii DoH says:
“Produce consumption is a part of our standard food history inquiry for E. coli O157:H7 investigations. Only one case reported consumption of spinach prior to illness. The spinach that was consumed by that case was an ingredient on a pizza.
“The information that we received from USFDA about the Taylor Farms recall, was that it was precautionary out of a possibility of contamination. We are following up with USFDA to determine if there were any confirmed laboratory results and if so, what the DNA patterns were for those isolates.”
On March 28, Nakata had her results: "Per USFDA, Taylor Farms initiated this recall on a presumptive test result. The next day the result was determined negative and the recall was re-classified as a market withdrawal. USFDA removed the recall posting since it determined that there was no violation.”
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From Hawaii Department of Health
Dear Oahu Healthcare Provider:
The Hawaii Department of Health (HDOH) is investigating a cluster of six confirmed, molecularly matched E. coli O157:H7 infections with illness onsets from February 19 to March 2, 2013. Five of the six cases are children, while the sixth is elderly; all are Oahu residents with no travel history. Three of the six cases have been hospitalized with two developing hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS). Five cases have recovered or are recovering; one remains hospitalized. Investigation is ongoing, now with a likely seventh case (onset in the past week and subsequent HUS and hospitalization).
This particular molecular pattern of E. coli O157:H7 is very uncommon both nationally as well as in Hawaii. We ask all medical providers to consider E. coli O157 when evaluating patients with severe or bloody diarrhea and order a stool culture to specifically isolate E. coli O157. HDOH also requests you report cases of bloody diarrhea with onset within the past month and going forward (contact numbers listed below).
read … DoH Memo
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CDC Dec 2012: Multistate Outbreak of Shiga Toxin-producing Escherichia coli O157:H7 Infections Linked to Organic Spinach
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Flashback: Hawai`i Free Press February 15, 2013
SALINAS FIRM INITIATES A PRECAUTIONARY MARKET WITHDRAWAL BECAUSE OF POSSIBLE HEALTH RISK
News Release from http://spinachmarketwithdrawal.com/
Out of an abundance of caution, Taylor Farms Retail, Inc. is initiating a voluntary market withdrawal of select Organic Baby Spinach products with the potential to be contaminated with Enterohaemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC).
The salad trays subject to the market withdrawal are limited to the following:
Brand
Item Description
UPC Number
Best By
State
Central Market Organics
Organic - Baby Spinach, 16 oz. tray
0-41220-18534-4
2/24/2013
TX
Full Circle Organic
Organic - Baby Spinach, 16 oz. tray
0-36800-28875-1
2/24/2013
CA
Marketside Organic
Organic - Baby Spinach, 5 oz. tray
6-81131-32898-2
2/24/2013
AR, CO, LA, NM, OK, TX
Simple Truth Organic
Organic - Baby Spinach, 5 oz. tray
0-11110-91128-5
2/24/2013
AK, AZ, CA, CO, ID, LA, MO, MT, NM,
OR, TX, UT, WA, WY
Taylor Farms Organic
Organic - Baby Spinach, 16 oz. tray
0-30223-04780-3
2/24/2013
AL, AR, AZ, CA, CO, DE, FL, GA, HI, IA, ID, IN, IL, KS, KY, LA, MD, MO, MN, MS, MT, NC, NE, NM, NV, NJ, NY, OK, PA, SC, TN, TX, UT, VA, WI, WY
No other products or code dates are affected by this market withdrawal. The company is cooperating with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and California Department of Public Health (CDPH) regarding this market withdrawal. There have been no reported illnesses attributed to the items withdrawn from the market.
Customers who have purchased these products are urged not to consume the products and should dispose of them. Consumers may contact Taylor Farms Retail, Inc. for further information at 855-293-9811. Consumers with concerns about an illness from consumption of this product should contact a health care provider.
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2012: Same Organic farm, Another EColi Recall