Major supermarkets pull toxic spinach from shelves over widespread poisoning fears
- Replies 4
If you're a fan of spinach — whether or not deriving some of your powers from it — we have some potentially worrying news for you: a number of Australian supermarkets are pulling spinach from their shelves due to contamination concerns (sorry, Popeye).
Costco, ALDI, Woolworths, and Coles have all recently recalled various products containing the leafy greens from their stores in New South Wales (NSW), Victoria (VIC), Australian Capital Territory (ACT), Queensland (QLD), and South Australia (SA) over multiple reports of people who sought medical attention over the weekend with symptoms of poisoning, most notably hallucinations.
Reports estimate around 100 Aussies across the country have been affected by the tainted spinach.
In Brisbane, a child was confined to a hospital overnight after consuming spinach.
Retailers ALDI and Coles are the latest to join the recalls.
ALDI’s The Fresh Salad Co-branded Fresh & Fast Stir Fry (450g) packets with use-by dates up to and including December 24, were taken off store shelves in relation to the development. This was sold in VIC stores.
Coles issued a broad recall of spinach products, including 60g, 120g, and 280g variants of store-brand spinach sold in NSW and VIC with use-by dates of December 23.
Earlier, Woolies’ Chicken Cobb Salad (270g) with use-by dates of December 20 and Chickpea Falafel (290g) with use-by dates of December 20 and 22 as well as Costco’s Riviera Farms Baby Spinach 1kg and 350g — sold in NSW, ACT, and VIC stores with use-by dates of December 16 up to December 28 — were also recalled.
On Friday, December 16, Riviera Farms announced news of the recall. They initially admitted their spinach with December 16 use-by dates were potentially ‘contaminated with a weed which can have health consequences if consumed’.
It is unclear at this point if Riviera Farms is the sole source of the contaminated spinach, but Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) has been quoted as saying they’ve ‘been advised the recalled baby spinach products appear to have come from a single source’.
The information available on the Riviera Farms’ website reveals that they work with at least 20 businesses, though their ‘only direct major retail customer is Costco’.
Riviera Farms has stressed it is cooperating with authorities on the matter.
NSW Poisons Information Centre’s Dr Darren Roberts told The Sydney Morning Herald that those affected have been ‘quite sick’.
‘No one has died, so we’re very happy with that and we hope it remains that way, but these people are quite sick … to the point of marked hallucinations, where they are seeing things that aren’t there,’ he said.
Aside from hallucinations, the public is advised to watch out for delirium, dilated pupils, dry mouth and skin, fever, flushed face, and a rapid heartbeat.
Members, if you or someone you know has consumed a recalled product, please contact the Poisons Information Centre (13 11 26) as soon as possible.
The vegetable industry grower body AUSVEG has appealed to Aussies not to entirely take greens out of their holiday meals, partly because it ‘couldn't be worse timing’ for growers.
CEO of AUSVEG Michael Coote pointed out that the spinach in the widespread recall wasn’t the problem per se, it was the ‘plant matter that wasn’t spinach’.
‘We’re just encouraging anyone who might have purchased those recalled products to dispose of them and seek medical attention if they’ve got concerns,’ he said.
A specific culprit has yet to be identified behind the poisonings.
So, what is your reaction to this story? Will this recall episode affect your meal plans for the remainder of the holidays?
Tell us your thoughts below.
Source: YouTube/7News Australia
Costco, ALDI, Woolworths, and Coles have all recently recalled various products containing the leafy greens from their stores in New South Wales (NSW), Victoria (VIC), Australian Capital Territory (ACT), Queensland (QLD), and South Australia (SA) over multiple reports of people who sought medical attention over the weekend with symptoms of poisoning, most notably hallucinations.
Reports estimate around 100 Aussies across the country have been affected by the tainted spinach.
In Brisbane, a child was confined to a hospital overnight after consuming spinach.
Retailers ALDI and Coles are the latest to join the recalls.
ALDI’s The Fresh Salad Co-branded Fresh & Fast Stir Fry (450g) packets with use-by dates up to and including December 24, were taken off store shelves in relation to the development. This was sold in VIC stores.
Various stores have recalled products containing spinach. Image Credit: Coles
Coles issued a broad recall of spinach products, including 60g, 120g, and 280g variants of store-brand spinach sold in NSW and VIC with use-by dates of December 23.
Earlier, Woolies’ Chicken Cobb Salad (270g) with use-by dates of December 20 and Chickpea Falafel (290g) with use-by dates of December 20 and 22 as well as Costco’s Riviera Farms Baby Spinach 1kg and 350g — sold in NSW, ACT, and VIC stores with use-by dates of December 16 up to December 28 — were also recalled.
On Friday, December 16, Riviera Farms announced news of the recall. They initially admitted their spinach with December 16 use-by dates were potentially ‘contaminated with a weed which can have health consequences if consumed’.
It is unclear at this point if Riviera Farms is the sole source of the contaminated spinach, but Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) has been quoted as saying they’ve ‘been advised the recalled baby spinach products appear to have come from a single source’.
The information available on the Riviera Farms’ website reveals that they work with at least 20 businesses, though their ‘only direct major retail customer is Costco’.
Riviera Farms has stressed it is cooperating with authorities on the matter.
NSW Poisons Information Centre’s Dr Darren Roberts told The Sydney Morning Herald that those affected have been ‘quite sick’.
The number of Aussies affected by the hallucinogenic spinach has risen to around 100 over the weekend. Stock Image Credit: Pexels/cottonbro studio
‘No one has died, so we’re very happy with that and we hope it remains that way, but these people are quite sick … to the point of marked hallucinations, where they are seeing things that aren’t there,’ he said.
Aside from hallucinations, the public is advised to watch out for delirium, dilated pupils, dry mouth and skin, fever, flushed face, and a rapid heartbeat.
Members, if you or someone you know has consumed a recalled product, please contact the Poisons Information Centre (13 11 26) as soon as possible.
The vegetable industry grower body AUSVEG has appealed to Aussies not to entirely take greens out of their holiday meals, partly because it ‘couldn't be worse timing’ for growers.
CEO of AUSVEG Michael Coote pointed out that the spinach in the widespread recall wasn’t the problem per se, it was the ‘plant matter that wasn’t spinach’.
‘We’re just encouraging anyone who might have purchased those recalled products to dispose of them and seek medical attention if they’ve got concerns,’ he said.
A specific culprit has yet to be identified behind the poisonings.
Tell us your thoughts below.
Source: YouTube/7News Australia
.png){kind=icon}
