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http://www.ozpolitic.com/forum/YaBB.pl Member Run Boards >> Food >> Costco spinach poisoned with a weed http://www.ozpolitic.com/forum/YaBB.pl?num=1671139042 Message started by Bobby. on Dec 16^th, 2022 at 7:17am

Title: Costco spinach poisoned with a weed
Post by Bobby. on Dec 16^th, 2022 at 7:17am

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-12-15/sydney-nsw-health-contaminated-spinach/101779372

NSW Health urges people to throw out Riviera Farms spinach from Costco
after nine people across Sydney hospitalised

A Riviera Farms spokesperson said the product may have been "contaminated
with a weed which can have health consequences if consumed".

By Danuta Kozaki
Posted 8h ago
8 hours ago
, updated 7h ago

At least nine people from four separate households across Sydney have needed medical attention after eating packaged fresh spinach, believed to be accidentally contaminated, according to New South Wales Health.
Key points:

The contaminated Riviera Farms spinach packets have an expiry date of December 16
NSW Health urges anyone with unusual or severe symptoms after eating it to seek immediate medical attention
It's unclear yet how far the product was distributed

People are being urged to throw out any packets of Riviera Farms-brand spinach, sold through retailer Costco, with an expiry date of December 16 this year.

NSW Health said the product was "not safe to consume and people who have it should throw it out".

It has urged anyone who has experienced any unusual and severe symptoms after eating the spinach to seek immediate medical attention by visiting their nearest emergency department due to toxic reactions.

State health authorities said some of the reported symptoms have been severe and include "hallucinations, delirium, rapid heartbeat and blurred vision".

A Riviera Farms spokesperson said the product may have been "contaminated with
a weed which can have health consequences if consumed".

"As soon as we were advised of the possible weed contamination from one of our customers, we immediately advised them to remove our impacted spinach from their shelves, and contacted state health and federal food authorities," the spokesperson said.

"There is no suggestion, and to our knowledge no possibility, that any other products have been impacted by this weed.

Title: Re: Costco spinach poisoned with a weed
Post by Bobby. on Dec 16^th, 2022 at 7:30am

I did a search -
no site is saying exactly what weed has caused this.

Title: Re: Costco spinach poisoned with a weed
Post by Lisa Jones on Dec 16^th, 2022 at 7:30am

Dear Lord! That's dreadful! Thank God I grow my own chemical and weed free spinach and silver beet here!

Title: Re: Costco spinach poisoned with a weed
Post by Bobby. on Dec 16^th, 2022 at 7:39am

Lisa Jones wrote on Dec 16^th, 2022 at 7:30am:

Dear Lord! That's dreadful! Thank God I grow my own chemical and weed free spinach and silver beet here!

But I suspect that the poisonous weed looks just like spinach. :o

I am trying to find out.

Title: Re: Costco spinach poisoned with a weed
Post by greggerypeccary on Dec 16^th, 2022 at 7:41am

Bobby. wrote on Dec 16^th, 2022 at 7:30am:

I did a search -
no site is saying exactly what weed has caused this.

Do you normally eat weeds, Bobby?

Title: Re: Costco spinach poisoned with a weed
Post by Bobby. on Dec 16^th, 2022 at 7:43am

greggerypeccary wrote on Dec 16^th, 2022 at 7:41am:

Bobby. wrote on Dec 16^th, 2022 at 7:30am:

I did a search -
no site is saying exactly what weed has caused this.

Do you normally eat weeds, Bobby?

Define weed?

Title: Re: Costco spinach poisoned with a weed
Post by greggerypeccary on Dec 16^th, 2022 at 7:47am

Bobby. wrote on Dec 16^th, 2022 at 7:39am:

Lisa Jones wrote on Dec 16^th, 2022 at 7:30am:

Dear Lord! That's dreadful! Thank God I grow my own chemical and weed free spinach and silver beet here!

But I suspect that the poisonous weed looks just like spinach. :o

I am trying to find out.

A green weed?

Title: Re: Costco spinach poisoned with a weed
Post by greggerypeccary on Dec 16^th, 2022 at 7:48am

Bobby. wrote on Dec 16^th, 2022 at 7:43am:

greggerypeccary wrote on Dec 16^th, 2022 at 7:41am:

Bobby. wrote on Dec 16^th, 2022 at 7:30am:

I did a search -
no site is saying exactly what weed has caused this.

Do you normally eat weeds, Bobby?

Define weed?

A wild plant growing where it is not wanted and in competition with cultivated plants.

Title: Re: Costco spinach poisoned with a weed
Post by Bobby. on Dec 16^th, 2022 at 7:51am

greggerypeccary wrote on Dec 16^th, 2022 at 7:47am:

Bobby. wrote on Dec 16^th, 2022 at 7:39am:

Lisa Jones wrote on Dec 16^th, 2022 at 7:30am:

Dear Lord! That's dreadful! Thank God I grow my own chemical and weed free spinach and silver beet here!

But I suspect that the poisonous weed looks just like spinach. :o

I am trying to find out.

A green weed?

A potato growing in your vege garden is a plant - a vegetable.

A potato growing in your flower garden is a weed.

In all cases - potato plant leaves are poisonous.

Title: Re: Costco spinach poisoned with a weed
Post by Lisa Jones on Dec 16^th, 2022 at 7:51am

Bobby. wrote on Dec 16^th, 2022 at 7:39am:

Lisa Jones wrote on Dec 16^th, 2022 at 7:30am:

Dear Lord! That's dreadful! Thank God I grow my own chemical and weed free spinach and silver beet here!

But I suspect that the poisonous weed looks just like spinach. :o

I am trying to find out.

What are you talking about? Weeds look nothing like spinach or silver beet to a trained gardener's eye.

Title: Re: Costco spinach poisoned with a weed
Post by Bobby. on Dec 16^th, 2022 at 7:54am

Lisa Jones wrote on Dec 16^th, 2022 at 7:51am:

Bobby. wrote on Dec 16^th, 2022 at 7:39am:

Lisa Jones wrote on Dec 16^th, 2022 at 7:30am:

Dear Lord! That's dreadful! Thank God I grow my own chemical and weed free spinach and silver beet here!

But I suspect that the poisonous weed looks just like spinach. :o

I am trying to find out.

What are you talking about? Weeds look nothing like spinach or silver beet to a trained gardener's eye.

Weeds can be any plant that's not wanted.

Title: Re: Costco spinach poisoned with a weed
Post by Lisa Jones on Dec 16^th, 2022 at 7:55am

Bobby. wrote on Dec 16^th, 2022 at 7:51am:

greggerypeccary wrote on Dec 16^th, 2022 at 7:47am:

Bobby. wrote on Dec 16^th, 2022 at 7:39am:

Lisa Jones wrote on Dec 16^th, 2022 at 7:30am:

Dear Lord! That's dreadful! Thank God I grow my own chemical and weed free spinach and silver beet here!

But I suspect that the poisonous weed looks just like spinach. :o

I am trying to find out.

A green weed?

A potato growing in your vege garden is a plant - a vegetable.

A potato growing in your flower garden is a weed.

In all cases - potato plant leaves are poisonous.

I grow my potatoes only in my flower beds. Why? Potatoes produce beautiful lavender coloured flowers. And the bulk of their produce is underground so it's out of sight. Bottom line : my flower beds look like flower beds even though I'm growing veges in them.

The same rule applies to my sweet potatoes too. Note : Sweet potatoes are better for you AND the young tender leaves of sweet potatoes can be stir fried.

Title: Re: Costco spinach poisoned with a weed
Post by Bobby. on Dec 16^th, 2022 at 8:12am

Hi Lisa,
to grow good potatoes you still need a plant with lots of leaves
which are above ground.

Title: Re: Costco spinach poisoned with a weed
Post by greggerypeccary on Dec 16^th, 2022 at 8:13am

Title: Re: Costco spinach poisoned with a weed
Post by Lisa Jones on Dec 16^th, 2022 at 8:20am

Bobby. wrote on Dec 16^th, 2022 at 8:12am:

Hi Lisa,
to grow good potatoes you still need a plant with lots of leaves
which are above ground.

I just bury my potato 🥔 peelings. In fact I bury all my vegetable peelings and vegetable scraps.

Nature does the rest.

Bobby have you ever heard of FOODSCAPES?

Title: Re: Costco spinach poisoned with a weed
Post by Lisa Jones on Dec 16^th, 2022 at 8:24am

greggerypeccary wrote on Dec 16^th, 2022 at 8:13am:

STAMATA VRE!

Title: Re: Costco spinach poisoned with a weed
Post by Sprintcyclist on Dec 16^th, 2022 at 12:01pm

Lisa Jones wrote on Dec 16^th, 2022 at 7:30am:

Dear Lord! That's dreadful! Thank God I grow my own chemical and weed free spinach and silver beet here!

Good on you.
I have silverbeet growing too, no spinach yet.

Title: Re: Costco spinach poisoned with a weed
Post by Bobby. on Dec 16^th, 2022 at 2:56pm

Title: Re: Costco spinach poisoned with a weed
Post by greggerypeccary on Dec 16^th, 2022 at 2:58pm

Bobby. wrote on Dec 16^th, 2022 at 2:56pm:

I was brought up on silverbeet as a kid, but probably prefer spinach now.

Don't think I ever saw spinach as a kid :-/

https://www.tripadvisor.com/LocationPhotoDirectLink-g1057703-d1109946-i106847696-Gostilna_Vovko-Novo_Mesto_Lower_Carniola_Region.html

Title: Re: Costco spinach poisoned with a weed
Post by Bobby. on Dec 16^th, 2022 at 2:59pm

greggerypeccary wrote on Dec 16^th, 2022 at 2:58pm:

Bobby. wrote on Dec 16^th, 2022 at 2:56pm:

I prefer silverbeet.

Title: Re: Costco spinach poisoned with a weed
Post by greggerypeccary on Dec 16^th, 2022 at 3:02pm

Bobby. wrote on Dec 16^th, 2022 at 2:59pm:

greggerypeccary wrote on Dec 16^th, 2022 at 2:58pm:

Bobby. wrote on Dec 16^th, 2022 at 2:56pm:

I prefer silverbeet.

Yeah, now that I said that I think I might change my mind - maybe silverbeet is better.

Haven't bought any for a while - the spinach fits in the shopping basket easier :)

Title: Re: Costco spinach poisoned with a weed
Post by Bobby. on Dec 16^th, 2022 at 3:41pm

greggerypeccary wrote on Dec 16^th, 2022 at 3:02pm:

Bobby. wrote on Dec 16^th, 2022 at 2:59pm:

greggerypeccary wrote on Dec 16^th, 2022 at 2:58pm:

Bobby. wrote on Dec 16^th, 2022 at 2:56pm:

I prefer silverbeet.

Yeah, now that I said that I think I might change my mind - maybe silverbeet is better.

Haven't bought any for a while - the spinach fits in the shopping basket easier :)

Spinach has more goodness actually.

Still no photo of the offending weed.

Title: Re: Costco spinach poisoned with a weed
Post by Xavier on Dec 16^th, 2022 at 7:47pm

Maybe they're just blaming some weed to cover up the fact that they've been spraying sewage as fertiliser again? :-?

Title: Re: Costco spinach poisoned with a weed
Post by Bobby. on Dec 16^th, 2022 at 7:55pm

Jasin wrote on Dec 16^th, 2022 at 7:47pm:

Maybe they're just blaming some weed to cover up the fact that they've been spraying sewage as fertiliser again? :-?

Maybe it's maoriwarrna?

Title: Re: Costco spinach poisoned with a weed
Post by Xavier on Dec 16^th, 2022 at 7:59pm

Western Sydney farms were using sewage as fertiliser years ago.
The result was a high level of bacteria - which resulted in many people getting sick very quickly after consumption (like veges). I was one of them. Felt like the stomach was on fire, then severe vomiting within 30 minutes.

Title: Re: Costco spinach poisoned with a weed
Post by Bobby. on Dec 16^th, 2022 at 8:05pm

Jasin wrote on Dec 16^th, 2022 at 7:59pm:

Did you wash the veges properly?

Title: Re: Costco spinach poisoned with a weed
Post by greggerypeccary on Dec 16^th, 2022 at 8:06pm

Jasin wrote on Dec 16^th, 2022 at 7:59pm:

Ah.

Now we're getting somewhere.

Title: Re: Costco spinach poisoned with a weed
Post by Xavier on Dec 16^th, 2022 at 8:35pm

Bobby. wrote on Dec 16^th, 2022 at 8:05pm:

Jasin wrote on Dec 16^th, 2022 at 7:59pm:

Did you wash the veges properly?

She who cooked the meal is an excellent cook. She's very pedantic about her standards. I'm sure she did.
As it didn't really matter for thousands across Sydney at the time - which resulted in these Farms being busted by Health Officials.

Title: Re: Costco spinach poisoned with a weed
Post by Bobby. on Dec 16^th, 2022 at 9:48pm

Jasin wrote on Dec 16^th, 2022 at 8:35pm:

Bobby. wrote on Dec 16^th, 2022 at 8:05pm:

Jasin wrote on Dec 16^th, 2022 at 7:59pm:

Did you wash the veges properly?

dear oh dear

Title: Re: Costco spinach poisoned with a weed
Post by Bobby. on Dec 17^th, 2022 at 3:05pm

It's getting worse:

https://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/food/food-warnings/woolworths-recalls-two-products-containing-toxic-spinach/news-story/7ad43b89b0685ee0259aa1f587dc661e

Aldi, Woolworths and Costco recall products containing toxic spinach

A batch of toxic spinach that has caused hallucinations and fever in almost 50 people has now been urgently recalled from a major supermarket.

Madeleine Achenza and Eli Green
less than 2 min read
December 17, 2022 - 2:15PM

A third supermarket has been added to the list of sites where a toxic batch of spinach
has been recalled after almost 50 people fell ill after eating it.

Aldi has recalled 450g packets of The Fresh Salad Co-branded Fresh & Fast Stir Fry sold in stores across Victoria.

It includes all products with use by dates of up to and including December 24.

To date, as part of the ongoing investigation, there are 47 people in NSW who have reported symptoms after eating baby spinach.

More than a third of these (at least 17) have sought medical attention.

Earlier this morning, residents in Victoria, New South Wales, ACT and Queensland were urged to immediately throw away two products containing the toxic leaf.

The two products are the Woolworths Chicken Cobb Salad 270g (ID 218366) with use by dates of December 2 and the Woolworths Chickpea Falafel 290g (ID 218371) with use by dates of December 20 and December 22.

On Friday, NSW residents were urged to throw out spinach products bought from Costco after a number of cases of “possible food-related toxic reactions”.

NSW Health warned that Riviera Farms-branded baby spinach should not be eaten, as the product is “not safe to consume”.

There have been nine people from four unrelated households across Sydney who have required medical treatment after developing poisoning having eating the product.

Dr Darren Roberts from the NSW Poisons Information Centre, told the Sydney Morning Herald those affected had been “quite sick”.

Title: Re: Costco spinach poisoned with a weed
Post by Xavier on Dec 17^th, 2022 at 3:35pm

Quick! Put the price up on all other Spinach!!!

Title: Re: Costco spinach poisoned with a weed
Post by Bobby. on Dec 17^th, 2022 at 3:50pm

Title: Re: Costco spinach poisoned with a weed
Post by Bobby. on Dec 17^th, 2022 at 3:51pm

Jasin wrote on Dec 17^th, 2022 at 3:35pm:

Quick! Put the price up on all other Spinach!!!

How could you trust any spinach now?

Title: Re: Costco spinach poisoned with a weed
Post by greggerypeccary on Dec 17^th, 2022 at 5:55pm

Bobby. wrote on Dec 17^th, 2022 at 3:51pm:

Jasin wrote on Dec 17^th, 2022 at 3:35pm:

Quick! Put the price up on all other Spinach!!!

How could you trust any spinach now?

Kids will never have to eat spinach again.

"Mum, if you make me eat that spinach and I die, how would you be able to live with yourself?"

Title: Re: Costco spinach poisoned with a weed
Post by Ayn Marx on Dec 17^th, 2022 at 7:20pm

Bobby. wrote on Dec 17^th, 2022 at 3:51pm:

Jasin wrote on Dec 17^th, 2022 at 3:35pm:

Quick! Put the price up on all other Spinach!!!

How could you trust any spinach now?

And mushrooms ?

Title: Re: Costco spinach poisoned with a weed
Post by greggerypeccary on Dec 17^th, 2022 at 7:26pm

Ayn Marx wrote on Dec 17^th, 2022 at 7:20pm:

Bobby. wrote on Dec 17^th, 2022 at 3:51pm:

Jasin wrote on Dec 17^th, 2022 at 3:35pm:

Quick! Put the price up on all other Spinach!!!

How could you trust any spinach now?

And mushrooms ?

One of my favourite quick fry-up combinations: spinach and mushrooms with some rice.

Title: Re: Costco spinach poisoned with a weed
Post by Bobby. on Dec 17^th, 2022 at 8:03pm

greggerypeccary wrote on Dec 17^th, 2022 at 7:26pm:

Ayn Marx wrote on Dec 17^th, 2022 at 7:20pm:

Bobby. wrote on Dec 17^th, 2022 at 3:51pm:

Jasin wrote on Dec 17^th, 2022 at 3:35pm:

Quick! Put the price up on all other Spinach!!!

How could you trust any spinach now?

And mushrooms ?

One of my favourite quick fry-up combinations: spinach and mushrooms with some rice.

Yes - that's a perfect combination.
Mushrooms and spinach can go with just about any meal.

Still no identification of the weed in question.

Title: Re: Costco spinach poisoned with a weed
Post by Bobby. on Dec 18^th, 2022 at 11:09pm

https://www.skynews.com.au/australia-news/people-are-becoming-sick-enough-that-they-need-to-go-to-hospital-sixth-state-and-fourth-supermarket-recalls-hallucinogenic-baby-spinach-after-almost-100-fall-ill/news-story/46a927ce068e1e9156d6dab460ccc992

Australia News

'People are sick enough that they need to go to hospital':
Sixth jurisdiction and fourth supermarket recall 'hallucinogenic' baby spinach after almost 100 fall ill

Six states and territories have now been caught up in the recall of potentially “hallucinogenic” spinach products as Coles became the fourth major supermarket to pull the item from the shelves with almost 100 people falling ill.

December 18, 2022 - 12:50PM

The supermarket giant is recalling the following items all with use by dates between December 17, 2022 up to and including December 23, 2022.

Coles Spinach 60g,120g (UBD 23 DEC, NSW), 280g (UBD 23 DEC, VIC only)
Coles Chef Blend Tender Leaf 150g (UBD 22 DEC, VIC, NSW, SA, NT only)
Coles Baby Leaf Blend 300g (UBD 22 DEC, VIC, NSW, SA, NT only)
Coles Kitchen Green Goddess Salad 250g, 300g
Coles Kitchen Chicken BLT Salad Bowl 240g
Coles Kitchen Roast Pumpkin, Fetta & Walnut Salad 265g
Coles Kitchen Smokey Mexican Salad 280g
Coles Kitchen Egg and Spinach Pots 100g

The other products which have been recalled include:

Riviera Fresh – Riviera Farms Baby Spinach
Fresh Salad Co – Fresh and Fast Stir Fry
Woolworths Chicken Cobb Salad 270g (ID 218366) with use by dates of 20 December
Woolworths Chickpea Falafel 290g (ID 218371) with use by dates of 20 December and 22 December
Fresh Salad Co’s Fresh and Fast Stir fry mix 450g, with a use-by date of December 24.
All Rivera Farms baby spinach products with a best before date up to, and including, 28 December 2022.

“ It’s really very serious. People are becoming sick enough that they need to go to hospital,” Dr Darren Roberts from NSW Poisons Information Centre told Sky News Australia on Sunday.

Title: Re: Costco spinach poisoned with a weed
Post by greggerypeccary on Dec 22^nd, 2022 at 6:35am

Bobby. wrote on Dec 17^th, 2022 at 8:03pm:

greggerypeccary wrote on Dec 17^th, 2022 at 7:26pm:

Ayn Marx wrote on Dec 17^th, 2022 at 7:20pm:

Bobby. wrote on Dec 17^th, 2022 at 3:51pm:

Jasin wrote on Dec 17^th, 2022 at 3:35pm:

Quick! Put the price up on all other Spinach!!!

How could you trust any spinach now?

And mushrooms ?

One of my favourite quick fry-up combinations: spinach and mushrooms with some rice.

Yes - that's a perfect combination.
Mushrooms and spinach can go with just about any meal.

Still no identification of the weed in question.

Thornapple

"Common thornapple is an annual plant with large, trumpet-shaped flowers and spiny fruit. The whole plant is poisonous to people, pets and livestock."

Title: Re: Costco spinach poisoned with a weed
Post by Bobby. on Dec 22^nd, 2022 at 10:53am

Thanks Greggy.

Datura stramonium

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Datura_stramonium

"Jimson Weed" redirects here. For the painting by Georgia O'Keeffe, see Jimson Weed (painting).
Not to be confused with Solanum incanum, also known by the common name thorn apple.
Jimsonweed

Datura stramonium 2 (2005 07 07).jpg
Scientific classification edit
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Asterids
Order: Solanales
Family: Solanaceae
Genus: Datura
Species: D. stramonium
Binomial name
Datura stramonium
L.
Synonyms[1]
Synonymy

Datura stramonium, known by the common names thorn apple, jimsonweed (jimson weed), devil's snare, or devil's trumpet,[2] is a poisonous flowering plant of the nightshade family Solanaceae. It is a species belonging to the Datura genus and Daturae tribe.[3] Its likely origin was in Central America,[2][4] and it has been introduced in many world regions.[5][6][7] It is an aggressive invasive weed in temperate climates across the world.[2] D. stramonium has frequently been employed in traditional medicine to treat a variety of ailments. It has also been used as a hallucinogen (of the anticholinergic/antimuscarinic, deliriant type), taken entheogenically to cause intense, sacred or occult visions.[2][8] It is unlikely ever to become a major drug of abuse owing to effects upon both mind and body frequently perceived as being highly unpleasant, giving rise to a state of profound and long-lasting disorientation or delirium (anticholinergic syndrome) with a potentially fatal outcome. It contains tropane alkaloids which are responsible for the psychoactive effects, and may be severely toxic.

All parts of Datura plants contain dangerous levels of the tropane alkaloids atropine, hyoscyamine, and scopolamine, which are classified as deliriants, or anticholinergics.[2][9] The risk of fatal overdose is high among uninformed users,

Title: Re: Costco spinach poisoned with a weed
Post by Bobby. on Dec 22^nd, 2022 at 10:55am

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/dec/21/weed-responsible-for-hallucinogenic-spinach-recall-identified-as-applethorn

Weed responsible for hallucinogenic spinach recall identified as thornapple

Riviera Farms says Victorian health authorities confirmed nightshade had contaminated harvest, with neighbouring crops now being destroyed.

The weed responsible for contaminating baby spinach at a Victorian farm has been identified as thornapple – a type of nightshade.

Riviera Farms on Wednesday night said that working with Victorian health department experts “we have confirmed the spinach was contaminated with a weed called thornapple”.

The scientific name is Datura stramonium. It is also known as jimsonweed.