California distributor recalls spinach after discovering salmonella

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A California company is recalling 1,715 cartons of recently harvested spinach after discovering salmonella, the California Department of Public Health said.

Ippolito International in Salinas detected the bacteria during routine testing. The spinach, which was harvested from Sept. 1 through 3, was packed in bunches of 12 or 24 inside wire-bound crates or reusable plastic containers.

The distributor sold the greens to retail, food-service and wholesale buyers. The recall affects the 1,515 cartons shipped under the Queen Victoria label to Canada, California and 11 other states. Another 200 cartons under the Tubby label were sent to California and New York.

No related illnesses have been reported.

Open since 2000, Ippolito is listed as a member in good standing of the California Leafy Green Products Handler Marketing Agreement, a food safety organization. All of the more than 100 members are audited by government inspectors.

In severe cases, salmonella can cause serious illness or death in children, the elderly and those with weak immune systems. In healthy victims, the bacteria leads to fever, diarrhea, vomiting or abdominal pain.

-- Tiffany Hsu