Coles is the latest supermarket giant to recall products containing spinach after Woolworths and Costco issued similar warnings about their products.
Food Standards Australia and New Zealand (FSANZ) is leading efforts to alert consumers and is working with businesses to coordinate the recall in NSW, Victoria and the ACT.
Supermarket giants have recalled products containing spinach. Credit: Rachel Husband
Coles has recalled 11 of its products containing baby spinach that were sold in NSW, Victoria, the ACT, Queensland, the Northern Territory and South Australia. In a statement, the supermarket giant said it had been informed by health authorities that some spinach may be contaminated with unsafe plant material.
Only some of their products with a specific expiration date were recalled. “The affected products are available for purchase from 8 December 2022,” Coles said in a statement. “Customers should not consume this product, and anyone concerned about their health should seek medical advice. Coles is liaising with the supplier and regulators regarding further steps.”
NSW Health advised on Saturday that people in possession of the products should throw them away or return them.
By Saturday evening, 88 people in NSW had reported symptoms after eating spinach and at least 33 of them had sought medical attention. Those who became ill experienced a range of symptoms, including severe hallucinations, delirium, blurred vision, dilated pupils and fever.
Costco made its announcement earlier this week after dozens of people became ill, with some reporting hallucinations. Eight people have fallen ill after eating spinach in Victoria, and the state’s health department said it was investigating the source of the contamination.
On the same day, Woolworths recalled its Chicken Cobb Salad 270g with an expiry date of 20 December and its Chickpea Falafel Salad 290g with expiry dates of 20 and 22 December.