FDA Lifts Ban on Most Spinach

from AP

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration lifted its two-week-old consumer warning on most fresh spinach Friday, revising the alert to say it now covers only specific brands packaged on certain dates.

The warning now applies only to spinach recalled earlier this month by Natural Selection Foods of San Juan Bautista and four companies that it supplied, said Kevin Reilly, deputy director of prevention services for the California health department.

Natural Selection's recall covered 34 brands it packaged bearing "Best if Used By" dates of Aug. 17 through Oct. 1 - this Sunday. The recall and the expiration dates make it likely the tainted spinach that led to a nationwide E. coli outbreak has mostly worked its way out of the food supply.