September 21, 2006: E. Coli update: don't cook raw spinach

Consumer Reports

Doctors from the FDA, CDC and  Washington University School of Medicine held a conference call earlier today to update the medical community on the E. coli outbreak. In addition to providing an update on cases and recalls, the scientists also offered this advice: Don't cook raw spinach in an attempt to kill E. coli. While cooking raw spinach to a temperature of 160°F for 15 seconds can kill the bacteria, the scientists pointed out that few consumers have the ability to precisely gauge the temperature at which their food is being cooked; consumers who handle raw spinach also run the risk of cross-contaminating other foods. Consumer Reports concurs. While you should still be able to cook and consume frozen and canned spinach, you should avoid all raw spinach and raw spinach-containing foods, and should not attempt to cook raw spinach. You can listen to the full conference call from now through October 5, 2006 at 888-566-0619.

This ongoing issue highlights glaring problems in the way food is tested and regulated in the United States. Consumers Union, the non-profit publisher of Consumer Reports, has long recommended establishing a single federal agency to set up-to-date food-safety standards, enforce them, and carry out safety research. This week, we sent a letter to Congress, expressing concern about the E. coli outbreak, and urging that Congress pass S. 729/H.R. 1517, the “Safe Food Act,” which would create a single federal food safety agency, the Food Safety Administration. You can read the full letter here, and can also learn more about CU's position on this issue in this 2001 column by CU president Jim Guest.