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Organic baby spinach linked to multistate E. coli outbreak

Dietary Guidlines
Posted at 6:34 PM, Nov 15, 2021
and last updated 2021-11-16 14:00:05-05

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said Monday that a multistate outbreak of E. coli has been linked to packages of baby spinach sold under the Josie’s Organics label.

The product was sold at stores nationwide and has a "best by" date of Oct. 23, 2021, the CDC says.

"Minnesota officials found E. coli O157:H7 in a package of leftover Josie’s Organics baby spinach collected from a sick person’s home," the CDC said in a statement on its website. "Five people in this outbreak reported eating spinach in the week before they got sick and 1 reported Josie’s Organics brand."

The CDC says people have reported getting sick in Minnesota, South Dakota, Iowa, Missouri, Indiana, Michigan and Ohio.

So far, the spinach has been linked to 10 illnesses and two hospitalizations.

The CDC says those who bought Josie's Organics baby spinach with a "best by" date of Oct. 23 should throw the product away and wash items or surfaces that may have touched the spinach. The agency also says anyone who believes they were sickened after eating infected spinach should contact a healthcare provider.

Editor's note: A previous version of this story erroneously noted that the spinach was part of a recall. The CDC's announcement Monday was not a product recall.