More on spinach recall

[Guest guest]

(from another list, and a little tittilating)

aajonus wrote:

Hi, everyone,

I have received many correspondence regarding the " E.coli-

contaminated spinach " incidences that have dominated the media for

days. Consider that E.coli are the major bacteria of the colon.

E.coli are responsible for the final stages of protein-digestion

that release special amino acids (protein) for brain and nerves.

E.coli are also responsible for producing volumes of the Vitamin-B

family. E.coli are our most important bacterium for building and

strengthen our brains and nervous systems.

Do you think that if the spinach had been contaminated, wouldn't

thousands of people have been harmed? Consider that I know about 600

very diseased people who have eaten FRESH feces with trillions of

active E.coli to improve protein digestion and have never gotten

sick from eating E.coli, and have improved their health and even

reversed cancer by eating E.coli. As I stated in my recipe book,

University of Toronto used veratoxin produced by E.coli to dissolve

human brain tumors in 2-5 days. All animals lick theirs and others'

feces many times a day, every day. Do you really think that a few

dead E.coli that may remain on any food from fertilizer is going to

cause illness? It is more likely that some people are allergic to a

pesticide or herbicide that might be on the spinach. Organic spinach

was not to blame (see article below).

Consequently, I must consider that governments (USDA, FDA, CDC, and

health departments) are calling the vomit and diarrhea of a few

people food-contamination to make us believe that nature is a threat

to us instead of all of the cancer(and other disease)-causing

industrial pollution that government allows industry to subject us

to every day. Could it be that governments are protecting industry,

themselves and our economy instead of our health? Could it be that

they protect industry and themselves from lawsuits? Do they want us

to believe that they truly protect us? Is It all a ruse?

I suggest that you become rational and empirically experiment and

explore reality rather than believe nonsensical hype.

healthfully,

dr. aajonus vonderplanitz, ph.d. nutrition

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Company: organic spinach not to blame

By JUSTIN M. NORTON, Associated Press Writer Mon Sep 18,

2006, 3:32 AM ET

The company whose fresh spinach was linked to an E. coli outbreak

that's sickened at least 109 people said its organic products had

been cleared of contamination, while health officials continued

working to pinpoint the bacteria source.

Natural Selection Foods LLC, the country's largest grower of organic

produce, said late Sunday that manufacturing codes from packages of

spinach that infected patients turned over to health officials all

were from non-organic spinach. Natural Selection packages both

organic and conventionally grown spinach in separate areas at its

San Bautista plant.

The company, however, did not immediately lift any recalls of 34

brands. Those bra! nds include the company's own labels and those of

other companies that had contracts with Natural Selection to produce

or package its spinach.

Meanwhile, Salinas-based River Ranch Fresh Foods added to its recall

spring mixes containing spinach sold under the labels Hy-Vee, Fresh

N' Easy and Farmers Market, FDA officials said. All contain spinach

purchased from Natural Selection, they said.

The Food and Drug Administration and California Department of Health

Services planned Monday to work toward tracing the infected greens

to individual farms. The inquiry will review irrigation methods,

harvest conditions and other practices at farms possibly involved.

The spinach could have been contaminated in the field or during

processing. About 74 percent of the fresh-market spinach grown in

the U.S. comes from California, according to the California Farm

Bureau Federation.

There is no indication that the outbreak was deliberate, said Dr.

Acheson, chief medical officer with the FDA's Center for Food

Safety and Applied Nutrition.

The FDA continued to warn consumers not to eat fresh spinach or

products containing fresh spinach until further notice.

" This is unquestionably a significant outbreak in terms of E. coli, "

Acheson said.

E. coli cases linked to tainted spinach have been reported in 19

states, with Wisconsin reporting the most cases, including the death

of a 77-year-old woman.

Other states reporting cases were California, Connecticut, Idaho,

Indiana, Kentucky, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, New Mexico, Nevada,

New York, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Utah, Virginia, Washington and

Wyoming, according to the CDC.

Seven new cases reported Sunday were in states with previous

illnesses, Acheson said.

In Ohio, state health officials said they were investigating the

death of a 23-month-old girl who was sickened by E. coli to

determine whether the case was related to the outbreak. The girl's

mother said she often buys bagged spinach.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Sunday they've

started an Atlanta-based emergency operations center to help state

health agencies with E. coli testing. Epidemiologists are helping

test spinach samples and stool samples of infected people, center

spokeswoman Lola said.

The center is helping when state health agencies can't perform the

tests or when a second opinion is needed, said.

Natural Selection recalled its packaged spinach throughout the

United States, Canada and Mexico as a precaution after federal

health officials said some of those hospitalized reported eating

brands of prepackaged spinach distributed by the company.

However, some restaurants and retailers may be taking spinach out of

bags before selling it, so consumers shouldn't buy it at all, the

FDA said.

Boiling contaminated spinach can kill the bacteria, but washing

won't eliminate it, the CDC warned.

Federal officials stressed that the bacteria had not been isolated

in products sold by Natural Selection. As the investigation

continues, other brands may be implicated, officials said.

Natural Selection was founded in 1984 by Drew and Myra Goodman.

Within two years, its best-known brand, Earthbound Farm, began

shipping pre-washed, packaged salad fixings, and the

company's " spring mix " became a mainstay of restaurants and

supermarkets.

___

On the Net:

Center for Disease Control: http://www.cdc.gov

Natural Selection Farms: http://www.ebfarm.com