Salad days?

Serious contamination problems hit the bagged salad sector in September. Earth-bound Farms of California pulled its spinach from store shelves after it was linked to the outbreak of E. coli, which has sickened more than 150 people and is blamed for one death. The spinach was sold under several brand names, including Westlake Village-based Dole Food Co. Inc. So the Business Journal asks:

Are you changing your buying habits for greens?

Megan McDonnell Account Executive Weston/Mason Marketing

Since it's been announced about the E. coli contamination I have just been avoiding spinach but enjoying all other forms of vegetables. I'll still order salad in restaurants, as long as it's not a spinach salad. I've noticed in most restaurants any item that had spinach has had it taken out and substituted with other items. I don't think I'll start eating spinach again until it's been cleared--that it's safe to eat from California growers. It's hard to tell in the grocery stores whether it's from California or elsewhere, so when they get a clear bill of health across the board I'll start buying again.

Chris Simons Director AlixPartners

Absolutely. I won't buy spinach at all--packaged or not. And until I hear better about what's going on I won't change that. I still eat other greens, just not spinach.

Janice Liu General Counsel B. Riley & Co.

I'm not that concerned because generally I don't eat raw packaged spinach or lettuce products. I understand that cooking it for 20 or 30 seconds generally should kill the bacteria, so it hasn't affected our eating habits. Once they start stocking it again in stores I'll buy it. If you think about it from a statistical perspective given the level of farming it's surprising that there have been so few outbreaks.

Donna De La Paz Regional Zone Director Jewish National Fund

I haven't changed my buying habits at all. I know I've bought packaged salads recently, I'm not worried because I know since the outbreak they've been taking extra precautions. I've eaten spinach since then and haven't had a problem.

Curtis Shepard Director of Government Relations Los Angeles Gay & Lesbian Center

Well, I'm not eating spinach. Other greens I'm not paying attention to. But I'm not buying spinach even though I love spinach. Once I get a good, solid, all-clear feel in the media then I'll start buying it again.

Barbara Genicoff Visual Effects Producer for Commercials Zoic Studios

I'm not too concerned. I don't really eat too much at home because I work really long hours and it's really more about spinach than anything else. I guess I don't even really think about it.

Brenda Houlihan Vice President Salem Partners LLC 

I think I would limit my purchasing of premade bagged salads--being 29 and unmarried I think I'm their target demographic. This could even drive me to make my own salad from scratch. I'm not a regular spinach consumer. Definitely not now.