E. coli a Widespread Problem in Salinas Valley
According to a story in the Los Angeles Times, E. coli appears to be a widespread problem in California's Salinas Valley, where the spinach was grown that has been linked to a nation-wide outbreak of E. coli O157:H7 infections. California and federal health and agriculture officials have known that parts of the Salinas Valley are prone to flooding and that those flood waters are contaminated with cattle and other livestock waste. Not only has spinach and lettuce continued to be grown in the flood areas, but it is sold to consumers without adequate testing for E. coli contamination.
When we buy spinach from California, it is possible that the spinach grew in recently-flooded soil or that flood waters contaminated by cattle and other livestock waste touched the growing spinach. There are obvious problems with this, but what makes the situation even more dangerous is that E. coli can be absorbed into a spinach plant and grow inside of it. When this happens, the E. coli can not be washed away, chlorinated away or killed in any way other than with heat.
Consumers who eat fresh spinach have been unwittingly playing a game of culinary Russian roulette. With this outbreak, the game should be over. Spinach should never again be grown in flood areas; spinach that has had any contact with flood waters should never again be sold to consumers; and state and federal health and agriculture agencies need to care more about consumer safety than economics. This outbreak has been devastating. Parents are helplessly watching their children struggle to survive E. coli-related kidney failure (hemolytic uremic syndrome) and at least one family is grieving the loss of a loved one. Please, let the game be over.
To contact Pritzker | Ruohonen, call toll-free at 1-888-377-8900, e-mail fhp@pritzkerlaw.com or fill out the online, attorney-consultation form. All consultations are free. Read about E. coli lawyer Fred Pritzker on the Pritzker | Ruohonen website, www.pritzkerlaw.com.
Source: Marla Cone, E. coli pervades harvest area, Los Angeles Times, September 21, 2006.
