Spinach salads back on supermarket shelves amid E. coli probe
Packaged salads were recalled due to the risk of E. coli contamination. (Supplied: Coles Supermarkets)
In short:
Spinach and mixed salads have been restocked in Australia's major supermarkets after a widespread E. coli recall.
Growers say they are doing their best to make sure fresh produce is safe.
What's next?
An investigation into the source of the outbreak is ongoing.
Spinach and mixed salad products are back on the supermarket shelves and safe to consume after a widespread recall due to E. coli.
The potentially fatal shiga-toxin producing E. coli (STEC) was found in two pre-packaged spinach products during routine food safety checks in Queensland last month.
It prompted a recall of nearly 50 salad products sold at Coles, Woolworths, Aldi and IGA stores, in all states and territories except Western Australia.
The investigation into the cause of the outbreak is ongoing.
There have not been any reports of illness connected to the contamination.
Supermarkets removed spinach and mixed salad products from their shelves during the recall. (ABC Rural: Justine Longmore)
Supermarkets affected by the recall have restocked their salad products this week.
Coles said it had resumed selling spinach and mixed salads, while affected Woolworths stores were expected to receive fresh stock this week.
Independent supermarket distributor Metcash also confirmed its IGA stores had salad products back on the shelves.
Investigation still going
While packaged spinach products are available to buy again, questions remain about the E. coli detection.
Food Standards Australia and New Zealand (FSANZ) said its investigation into the outbreak, which was discovered via routine searches, was continuing.
Federal and state health agencies are also assisting the inquiry.
It said the source of the outbreak remained unknown.
Packaged spinach and mixed salad products are back on the shelves (Supplied: Coles)
Consumer behaviour expert Nitika Garg, from the University of New South Wales, said the recall would affect how people felt about the salads.
"In the short term it will hurt sales because people don't know when is it safe,"Professor Garg said.
She said the amount of time it took for consumers to feel comfortable again varied.
"Something like salads or spinach or eggs, for example, these recalls, while not preferable, do happen occasionally," she said.
"People do recover from them a little bit faster than say, a recall on a car."
She implored the food industry to ensure its testing regime was stringent.
"This costs the retailers as well as the growers," she said.
Nitika Garg says recalls affect consumer confidence. (Supplied: University of New South Wales)
'Cleaned up now'
It was a cost that north-west Victorian organic fruit and vegetable farmer Nathan Free said his industry was well aware of.
Mr Free is the Victorian Farmers Federation horticulture group president.
Nathan Free says the industry has strict measures in place to ensure fresh food is safe. (ABC Mildura Swan Hill: Alexandra Treloar)
He said he was not connected to the contamination but had empathy for those who were.
"As a supplier myself, a shiver went through my spine a little bit," Mr Free said.
"Because I know what those farmers, growers and processors will be going through."
He reassured consumers that growers were doing their utmost to ensure fresh produce was safe.
"I'm very confident that produce will be very food safe and be ready to eat," he said.