Talk:Spinach

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[edit] Needs taxobox

Needs taxobox. Eric Forste 00:39, 18 Aug 2004 (UTC)

[edit] Confusion with Silerbeet in New Zealand

I'm a New Zealander, and I have never seen Silverbeet called Spinach. Unless there is some evidence to the contrary, I believe this snippet can be removed.

The source for that snippet of information was Rosemary Stanton's book. She could be mistaken of course, so if other New Zealanders feel strongly that this is incorrect, perhaps it should be removed. Any comments in favour or against? The same applies for Australians.
I'm I New Zealander, and I too feel it to be incorrect. It's certainly not a common mistake - the distinction between the two is widely noted. I think this factoid could come from the fact that silverbeet is more commonly eaten in the antipodes (it's easier to grow, too), and the fact that the two are visually similar to people who aren't used to silverbeet. Anyway, the difference is widely known, and when the two are confused it's usually noted as a mistake.
Another thing to note is that there is, apparently, a 'New Zealand Spinach' (or, in Australia, Warrigal Greens) variety, which isn't actually silverbeet or spinach. [1].
I can't speak for Australia. I also can't dig up any solid sources noting the distinction (just individual New Zealanders [2]), but surely the burden of evidence is on Stanton? --Dom 10:50, 28 September 2006 (UTC)
I'm an Australian. Silverbeet is commonly called spinach here, perhaps more often than by its real name. By the way, this article says spinach grows "to a height of fifty million feet". I would correct it if I knew the actual figure. I know approximately, of course, but would prefer a horticulturally correct figure to be given. Anyway, it made me laugh in a way that Britannica could not.

[edit] Turnip family?

Quadell? Am I confused? Not that that's unlikely.

Pekinensis 23:51, 17 Mar 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Storage

How about gowing, usage and storage tips?

I'd also like to know more about how spinach loses its nutritional value during storage, some numbers, or at least a citation somewhere.

[edit] Heating twice a health hazzard?

I've heard that it is reccomended not to heat spinach twice because nitrate contained in spinach then breaks down (at a faster rate) and the products of this reaction could be toxic. Anyone have any source to corroborate or disprove this? Or any more details? I just found one site which corroborates this, but I am not sure as to its validity. Food-Info.net : Can you heat spinach twice? TheQz 20:24, 18 December 2005 (UTC)

Probably just a publich myth.
My friend food technologist tells me it has something to do with nitrates decaying to (somewhat cancerogenic) nitrites. --bonzi 19:46, 26 September 2006 (UTC)

On a package of SPAR (Dutch supermarket chain) deepfreeze spinach, it says "WARNING. Don't keep spinach after heating and never reheat. After defrostign don't freeze again". Dutch law isn't such that companies have to cover themselves for every eventuality just in case they might get sued, so there is probably a real reason for them to put this on there. DirkvdM 15:07, 3 February 2006 (UTC)

It's the same text in Sweden. They also advice against giving spinach to minors because of nitrate oxidation.

[edit] 2006 U.S. spinach recall

I'm doing the best i can to try to get the section up to date. Wikipedians, i beg you to search the internet for news stories on this issue from the beginning to now and to update, expand and write the section so it flows the best that you can, please. dposse 22:13, 17 September 2006 (UTC)

I just added a map, hope that helps the section Coasttocoast 04:48, 18 September 2006 (UTC)
I am dismayed by the alarmist reporting here on the E. coli outbreak. The distinction between raw, uncooked spinach and cooked spinach should have been made earlier.
Another avenue to explore is "organic" vs. "regular" farming. Which method has led to fewer cases of contamination? --Uncle Ed 15:21, 18 September 2006 (UTC)
100 people getting sick and one dying is "alarmist"? Anyone, thank you, Coasttocoast, for the map. However, that's just a small thing that is needed here. This section really needs alot of help... dposse 19:15, 18 September 2006 (UTC)
Perhaps I didn't make myself clear. I didn't object to the reports of illnesses. The problem was the alarmist implication that "all spinach was dangerous", while failing to reassure the public that cooked spinach is okay. You can cook it yourself (15 seconds at 160 F), or buy pre-cooked spinach in a can. --Uncle Ed 20:21, 18 September 2006 (UTC)
Yeah, the FDA has said that you shouldn't eat FRESH spinach. Meaning the type of spinach you make salads out of. That info is in the article already. I didn't see a point to the second section, so i removed it. dposse 22:11, 18 September 2006 (UTC)

I merged this section to 2006 United States E. coli outbreak. —Quarl (talk) 2006-09-19 19:35Z

IMO the outbreak, while notable as news, is not particularly relevant to the spinach article and deserves footnote status at best. Perhaps a note that spinach, like all leaf vegetables, has been occasionally contaminated with E. coli. -- WormRunner 19:42, 19 September 2006 (UTC)

I thought the same thing (and quoted you in my blog (http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/lawgeek/?p=12) for a wiki-related class). That kind of goes to the heart of whether we are looking for true notability - which this wouldn't have - or momentary notability. I agree with your suggestion, and a breakoff article would also solve the problem. 140.247.249.130 23:22, 19 September 2006 (UTC)
A few sentences pointing to the main article is fine. Wikipedia is optimized for reader interest. Lots of people are going to be searching for this topic under "Spinach". So what if Britannica's article on Spinach doesn't mention this. These few sentences will fade into a footnote once it's out of attention. This just means Wikipedia is dynamic and quickly updated. —Quarl (talk) 2006-09-22 06:19Z
OK, but can someone who knows how move the "breaking news" box from the head of the article to the relevant paragraph? Spinach itself is hardly an event in progress ;) --bonzi 19:52, 26 September 2006 (UTC)

[edit] This could "kill" Organic Farming

Discussion moved to Talk:2006 United States E. coli outbreak.

[edit] Scope of outbreak

Discussion moved to Talk:2006 United States E. coli outbreak.

[edit] Cause ?

Discussion moved to Talk:2006 United States E. coli outbreak.

[edit] Bolt resistant

"Bloomsdale is also somewhat bolt resistant." Bolt?? --Gbleem 13:49, 24 September 2006 (UTC)

Yikes :-(. That should be linked to bolting... doing that now :). --SB_Johnny|talk|books 16:58, 24 September 2006 (UTC)

I need to know it gets to the usa

[edit] Vandalism Problem

Been seeing a lot of vandalism here. I really think this article should be locked for the time being. -67.142.130.14 18:36, 28 September 2006 (UTC)

[edit] How-to issue

I'm going to move the purchasing and storage sections to b:Cookbook:Spinach, as they're really not written up in wp fashion (for one thing, they address the reader in the second person, but the content is also plainly instructional). The sections could be rewritten to discuss packaging and storage, but there wouldn't be much content there. --SB_Johnny|talk|books 09:48, 30 September 2006 (UTC)

I merged the 2 sections and removed the how-to material, now found on the wikibooks page instead. --SB_Johnny|talk|books 14:32, 30 September 2006 (UTC)


[edit] Appropriate

Is the 2006 e coli break appropriate to place inside this article?

12.226.13.0 03:13, 31 October 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Saracen

Worth mentioning Saracens introduced it to Sicily? Trekphiler 23:36, 21 November 2006 (UTC)

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