Since the Food and Drug Administration's alert concerns all packaged fresh spinach, and packers use spinach as one of the components in spring mix, the operators should pay attention to the government's warnings concerning all produce.
The National Restaurant Association, Washington, DC, said in a statement that it is monitoring the investigation of spinach-related foodborne illness.
"The Association, which is working closely with FDA and other allied members within the food supply chain, is recommending that restaurants also follow the FDA's guidance and temporarily remove fresh and fresh-processed spinach and other fresh produce items that include spinach from their menus during this investigation. Many restaurant companies have proactively and voluntarily removed these items from their menus," the NRA stated.
The NRA, citing the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), was also quick to point out that the rate of foodborne incidents in the United States has declined, with illnesses related to E-coli declining approximately 29% during the past decade.
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