Spinach traced to California: Markets, restaurants remove products as firm issues recall.

Byline: Jeremy Manier

Sep. 16--Grocery stores, restaurants and delis across the country threw out fresh spinach products of all types Friday amid rising concern over a national outbreak of E. coli--nearly 100 cases, including one death--and a federal warning to avoid all prepackaged spinach. By late Friday, investigators had traced some infections to prepackaged spinach from one California company, but consumers should avoid all fresh spinach if they're unsure of its source, U.S. Food and Drug Administration officials said. Washing the leaves won't help because that does not kill the E. coli bacteria, experts said. Boiling spinach could kill the germs, but health officials said consumers should not rely on that method with potentially tainted vegetables. People who have bagged spinach in their refrigerators should throw it out. "Our advice is that if you have fresh spinach, whether it's just spinach or part of a mix, don't eat it," said Dr. David Acheson, chief medical officer for the FDA Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition.

So far, the bacterial outbreak has touched 20 states, hitting …

Spinach traced to California: Markets, restaurants remove products as firm issues recall.

Byline: Jeremy Manier

Sep. 16--Grocery stores, restaurants and delis across the country threw out fresh spinach products of all types Friday amid rising concern over a national outbreak of E. coli--nearly 100 cases, including one death--and a federal warning to avoid all prepackaged spinach. By late Friday, investigators had traced some infections to prepackaged spinach from one California company, but consumers should avoid all fresh spinach if they're unsure of its source, U.S. Food and Drug Administration officials said. Washing the leaves won't help because that does not kill the E. coli bacteria, experts said. Boiling spinach could kill the germs, but health officials said consumers should not rely on that method with potentially tainted vegetables. People who have bagged spinach in their refrigerators should throw it out. "Our advice is that if you have fresh spinach, whether it's just spinach or part of a mix, don't eat it," said Dr. David Acheson, chief medical officer for the FDA Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition.

So far, the bacterial outbreak has touched 20 states, hitting …