Salmonella Scares: Spinach and Chocolate Powder

A salmonella scare this past week has caused the recall of certain kinds of spinach and a popular children's drink from store shelves. The good news: no one has reported any illness due to use of the products. 

Fresh Express announced a voluntary recall of the 9 oz. bags of Spinach from their stores in the west, including Safeway and Nob Hill stores. The expiration date on the bags in Nov. 7, and the product code is S299B25.

Fresh Express voluntarily recalled 2,939 cases of the 9 oz. bag of spinach in April 2011 as well. 

Nestle USA is also voluntarily recalling some of its NesQuik product due to possible Salmonella contamination. 

Nestle said Thursday that concern over the product in question - 10.9-, 21.8- and 40.7-ounce canisters - originates from the calcium carbonate portion of the chocolate drink, provided by Omaya, Inc., after it tested positive for Salmonella. The product was manufactured in early October and distributed nationwide.

Salmonella can be life-threatening in infants, elderly and pregnant women. It causes diarrhea, abdominal cramps and fever.

If you have purchased either of these products, the manufacturers say you should just throw them away. Stores where they are being sold are in the process of removing them from the shelves. 

To find a store near you where Fresh Express bags of spinach are sold, use the company's store locator. 

To find a store near you that sells Nesquik, use that company's store locator.