By Dane Secor
The recent outbreak of E. coli in spinach across the country has consumers asking: How is E. coli spread to spinach? And how can I protect myself?
The harmful E. coli strain, 0157:H7 is mostly associated with undercooked meat, but it can also be found in sprouts, lettuce, salami, unpasteurized milk and juice and can be contracted from swimming in or drinking sewage-contaminated water, according to the Centers for Disease Control.
University professor of animal and food science Dallas Hoover said that while cattle are the primary reservoir for the bacteria, it can be found in any food which uses manure as a fertilizer because E. coli is passed through fecal matter.
“It can be found in any produce, anything that’s cropped and uses fertilizer,” Hoover said. “If it isn’t properly composted, you can have transfer.”
Most prevention guides are limited to safe meat handling instructions, and the CDC Web site only advises consumers to wash fruits and vegetables thoroughly, especially those that will not be cooked. But the recent outbreak has called for more drastic methods to prevent infection.
The Food and Drug Administration recommends that people completely abstain from eating any fresh spinach or salad blends containing fresh spinach. The FDA does mention that E. coli in spinach can be killed by cooking it at 160 degrees Fahrenheit for 15 seconds. The FDA further advises people who decide to cook spinach to make sure they follow the cooking directions specifically, and take steps to avoid cross-contamination of fresh spinach with other foods and food contact surfaces and to wash hands, utensils and surfaces with hot, soapy water before and after handling the spinach.
People who are infected with E. coli have the bacteria in their bowel movements. The bacteria can spread from one person to another when good hand-washing habits are not practiced.
The FDA has expanded their Lettuce Safety Initiative, which was implemented in August 2006, to cover spinach as well. The initiative focuses specifically on California, which is traditionally associated with produce outbreaks. The objectives of the program include assessments of the industry, rapid alert systems for consumers in the event of an outbreak and observation and regulation of the fresh produce industry.
An article published in the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report revealed that the children, the elderly and people with weakened immune systems are most susceptible to the disease. The article also attributed changes in food preferences, changes in production and distribution systems and bacterial adaptation to the spread of foodborne illness such as E. coli in recent years. Increasing travel and trade opportunities have greatly increased the risk of contracting and spreading a foodborne illness.
E. coli differs from other foodborne illnesses because it can cause sickness when a person come in contact with only 10 cells of the bacteria. E. coli cases spike during the summer months.
A study published in the Journal of Food Protection found that soaking E. coli in chlorinated water for one minute kills a significant amount of the bacteria. The study used water chlorinated at a similar level to the federal government’s for proper tap water disinfection. However, one strain of E. coli tested significantly resisted the chlorine.
Hoover said vegetables are already washed before reaching consumers, but the system isn’t perfect.
“It will help, but it’s not 100 percent effective,” he said.
Although Delaware is not on the list of states hit by the outbreak, consumers should still take caution, Hoover said. Neighboring states Pennsylvania and Virginia have both recorded outbreaks.
