(UPDATED COVERAGE, Nov. 8) Wegmans Food Markets Inc. voluntarily recalled organic spinach and spring mix sourced by Chelsea, Mass.-based State Garden Inc. that’s been linked to 19 illnesses in New York from E. coli O157:H7 contamination.
The outbreak hit five western New York counties: Monroe, Erie, Niagara, Steuben and Wayne. Five of the 19 were hospitalized. By Nov. 8 all but one was released, said Jeffrey Hammond, spokesman for the New York State Department of Health.
Wegmans announced the recall Nov. 1. A traceback to the grower was still ongoing Nov. 8, said Pat El-Hinnawy, spokeswoman for the Food and Drug Administration.
“Illnesses are being investigated, but no illnesses have been confirmed as related to State Garden products,” State Garden spokesman Jeff Jubelirer said in a news release.
The product, a blend of the two organic leafy greens, was sold Oct. 14 to Nov. 1 in 11-ounce and 5-ounce clamshells at Wegmans stores in New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Virginia, Maryland and Massachusetts. It’s labeled Wegmans Food You Feel Good About Organic Spinach and Spring Mix.
Universal Product Codes are 77890-16411 for the 11-ounce and 77890-16437 for the 5-ounce. Wegmans recalled about 31,000 pounds of product.
According to State Garden, the item under investigation is the 11-ounce blend with use-by dates of Oct. 23 and Oct. 24 and traceback codes of 60832 and 14765. Those were distributed to Wegmans stores in New York.
As a precaution, Wegmans removed all code dates from all stores and called customers who purchased the items using their Shopper Club cards.
Wegmans and State Garden said they worked closely with New York State’s Department of Health and Department of Agriculture and Markets after learning the illnesses may be associated with the product.
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