No Clear Answers in E. Coli Infections

Article in the New York Times: No Clear Answers in E. Coli Infections, from the Associated Press.  The article provides an interesting overview of the development of the spinach e. coli infections and the investigative work of government agencies to stop it.  Here's an excerpt:

    Like lab technicians on a crime-scene television drama, investigators have tracked a
    strain of bacteria over thousands of miles -- from bagged spinach in Midwestern
    refrigerators to the guts of a wild pig in the hills of California's central coast.

    While they may never pinpoint the exact source of the strain of E. coli blamed for
    killing three people and sickening more than 200, they have come closer than ever
    before. And experts say the investigation has yielded valuable clues for preventing
    future outbreaks.

    ''We've completely overhauled the way we test and package greens,'' said Samantha
    Cabaluna, a spokeswoman for Natural Selection Foods LLC, the company that packaged
    the tainted spinach. ''Regardless of the source or method of contamination, we're better
    prepared to catch it.''

BGS