Federal health officials in the US said an outbreak of E. coli traced to raw spinach has killed one person in Wisconsin and sickened almost 100 in 19 states. Four Kentuckians have been confirmed ill in the outbreak.

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the California Department of Health Services (CDHS) are still working with Natural Food Selections LLC to try to understand the scope and locate the source of any contamination. But in an effort to minimise risk and afford the maximum possible protection to consumers, the FDA and CDHS have recommended that fresh spinach that is currently in the market be recalled.

Natural Food Selections, which sells bagged fresh spinach that goes into 28 different brand names has recalled all products with Best-If-Used-By dates from August 17 to October 1, 2006.

No illnesses have been reported to date outside of the US.

US fresh produce trade association (PMA) president Bryan Silbermann made the following statement: “Natural Selection Foods voluntary recall of its products that contain spinach is an exceptional example of the produce industry’s long standing commitment to putting the health and safety of consumers first. We cannot rest until we find and eliminate the sources of these illnesses.

“PMA stands ready to help Natural Selection Foods and any other member company impacted by this ongoing crisis in any way possible. And of course, our thoughts are with the consumers who have been affected by this illness.

“We understand from the US FDA that the investigation is ongoing. We have encouraged FDA to complete the investigation as quickly as possible so that the industry can take steps to once again supply their retail and foodservice customers with the safe and healthy produce that the public eats every day.”