Do Canadians Have Anything To Worry About From Contaminated Spinach?
Posted September 18, 2006 12:00 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
Even though the particular product wasn’t believed to be on Canadian store shelves, many on this side of the border admit they’re not quite as trusting of the veggies they have in their kitchens as they were earlier last week.
So far 108 people have become sick in the U.S.- most in Wisconsin – and a 77-year-old woman has died.
For doctors in the city, it’s the return of an unwelcome enemy.
“This is the worst strain of E. coli,” observes Mt. Sinai microbiologist Dr. Donald Low. “This is the same strain that caused the Walkerton outbreak, that caused the Jack-In-The-Box outbreak in hamburgers in the United States.”
There haven’t been any cases reported in Canada but officials have recalled several brands of U.S. spinach just in case.
Meanwhile, many consumers aren’t taking any chances, with most staying away from spinach altogether, and admitting it could be some time before they buy it again, whether it’s from Canada or the U.S.
“I’m worried it might be tainted, yeah, make me sick,” confesses Dorothy McConnell-Duneer. “You just get a fear there might be something wrong. I won’t eat spinach for the next few weeks.”
And many fear the border won’t stop the bugs. “You still have to worry. You have to stop and think before buying Canadian, too,” notes Fe Jambaro.
National food inspectors have checked dozens of stores across the country to make sure they’ve pulled the affected spinach off the shelves and so far all have complied.
But they’re warning consumers to remain vigilant, check the label carefully and only eat spinach if you can be sure it was grown in Canada.
