A professor of chemical engineering at Drexel University says he has invented a sensor that can detect E. coli in just 10 minutes. The standard way of detecting E. coli takes 24 hours.

Raj Mutharasan sees great promise for his sensor which is small enough to fit in the hands of a food inspector and believes it may one day be used in homes.

Mutharasan said his sensor technology could someday be used to detect prostate cancer and Alzheimer’s disease.

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Fifty cases of E. coli, leading to multiple hospitalizations and one death, have caused the FDA to issue a warning to consumers about bagged fresh spinach. The outbreak of E. coli in multiple states seems to be linked to the consumption of produce with bagged spinach being tagged as the possible cause.

“Given the severity of this illness and the seriousness of the outbreak, FDA believes that a warning to consumers is needed. We are working closely with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and state and local agencies to determine the cause and scope of the problem,” said Dr. Robert Brackett, Director of FDA’s Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition (CFSAN).

E. coli causes diarrhea, often with bloody stools. The very young and the elderly are at particular risk for developing the most serious complication of E. coli – HUS or Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome. It can lead to kidney failure and death.

At this time, the investigation is ongoing and states that have reported illnesses to date include: Connecticut, Idaho, Indiana, Michigan, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah and Wisconsin.

Meanwhile the FDA advises consumers not to eat bagged spinach at this time. Contact your health care provider if you believe you have had symptoms of illness following the consumption of bagged spinach.