After a bag of raw spinach infected with E. coli was found in Pennsylvania on Tuesday, local businesses are pulling the leafy green vegetable from their shelves and menus.
The DNA of the strain found in Pennsylvania matches that of the outbreak strain, according to a report from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
"We probably are seeing the tail end of the outbreak," said Howard Backer, acting public health officer for the state of California. "Partly as a result of spinach being taken off from the market, there is not ongoing contamination."
The CDC issued its first warnings about the outbreak on Sept. 14 and dates the onset of the disease back to Aug. 25. Since then, there have been 183 reported cases of E. coli from 26 states, eight of which were in Pennsylvania. Tuesday's notice brought the discovery of tainted bags in Illinois and Ohio as well.
"We've pulled all fresh spinach since last week," said Lisa Wandel, associate director of food services. "As soon as we heard about the outbreak, we pulled everything."
Wandel said in place of the raw spinach, food services are using the frozen variety in dishes.
"We are still keeping fresh spinach off our menus," she said. "Even though the FDA has identified where the sources are, we don't feel comfortable with it."
Restaurants and stores across State College have also been taking spinach off shelves. Subway was forced to throw out bags of possibly contaminated spinach, and the Olive Garden has stopped serving its spinach alfredo sauce for its "never-ending" pasta bowl promotion, employees at both restaurants said.
"As soon as we found out, we pulled every product we have" said Alton Pittman, assistant manager of produce at Walmart, 1665 N. Atherton St.
The E. coli pandemic stems from spinach grown in three California counties -- Monterey, San Benito and Santa Clara. Natural Selection Foods LLC packaged the bad greens for Dole and many other companies. Several of the bags of spinach have come from the Aug. 15 shift at the plant.
"We are looking very aggressively at what was produced on that date," said Dr. Kevin Reilly, deputy director of prevention services for the California Department of Health Services. "Much of the feedback we got from patients right now was related to Dole packaging."
Ellen Nagy, marketing manager for University Health Services (UHS), said to her knowledge, no students have become ill as a result of E. coli.
"We have not seen anything, but that doesn't mean students haven't gotten sick," said Nagy. "Students may have gone home and see their doctors, but no one has come into UHS with E. coli."
Nagy advised that students call the UHS 24-hour advice line if they feel symptomatic. Symptoms of E. coli include extended or severe diarrhea, fever, body aches and severe cramps.
The CDC advises that consumers stay away from fresh spinach and steer toward the frozen or canned variety instead. If consuming raw spinach, cooking it to 160 degrees Fahrenheit for 15 seconds will kill any E. coli that may be present.
Megan Byrnes (senior-journalism) said she would stay away from the green vegetable until the scare subsides, but will indulge after that.
"I like spinach, but right now I'm just not eating any at all," Byrnes said. "In the future, [the E. coli outbreak] probably won't scare me away. I kind of trust markets to not put contaminated stuff on their shelves."
Regardless of how long the country's food-monitoring divisions take to contain the eruption, students eating on campus can be assured the food served in the dining commons is safe.
"It's better to be safe than sorry," Wandel said. "I wouldn't want to eat it yet, and I wouldn't want our customers to eat it either."
The Associated Press contributed to this story.
