The Food and Drug Administration has lifted its ban on tomatoes weeks after the fruits were said to be linked to the Salmonella Saintpaul, which sickened more than 1,200 people.
The FDA said it has determined that fresh tomatoes now available in the domestic market are not associated with the current outbreak. However, it is continuing to follow epidemiological and other evidence showing that raw jalapeño and serrano peppers available in stores now may be linked to the outbreak. People who are considered to be high risk — elderly persons, infants and people with impaired immune systems — should refrain from eating raw jalapeño and raw serrano peppers at this time.
While it insists that tomatoes are still the leading suspect, the U.S. government is about to start testing several other types of fresh produce as it continues to look for the source of the nation’s record salmonella outbreak.
Items that are commonly served with fresh tomatoes what Food and Drug Administration food safety chief Dr. David Acheson said was now being looked at in the probe.
Sixty nine people are now confirmed ill since the outbreak began. Most concerning is that at least 179 of them fell ill in June, the latest on June 20. Therefore, the outbreak is continuing weeks longer than food-poisoning specialists had first anticipated, which also suggests that the culprit is still on the market.
See the FDA website for updates on the outbreak and varieties of tomatoes and sources that have been deemed safe.
If you’re a pet owner, be sure to do your research before purchasing and using cocoa bean mulch. Cocoa bean shells are a byproduct of chocolate production, and frequently sold and used for residential landscaping. Some dogs find the mulch appealing and will ingest varying amounts.
In general terms, while unprocessed cocoa beans, which come from the Theobroma cacao plant, contain approximately 1-4% theobromine and 0.07-0.36% caffeine, the amount of theobromine in processed cocoa bean shell mulch can be anywhere from 0.19-2.98%. Dogs are very sensitive to these chemicals, called methylxanthines.
If a dog has eaten cocoa bean mulch, immediately contact your local veterinarian or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435. Depending on the amount ingested and whether the dog is sick will affect treatment. The vet may suggest bringing your dog in for observation, inducing vomiting, and/or controlling a rapid heartbeat or seizures.
Last night’s trip to the grocery store found slim pickings in the produce department. Instead of finding big, red, juicy tomatoes for the burgers we were planning for the grill, we found bare shelves. Turns out, a number of grocery stores, including Wal Mart, Winn-Dixie, Giant Eagle, and Trader Joe’s have all pulled the tomatoes suspected in the recent Salmonella outbreak.
In addition, McDonald’s, Burger King, Outback Steakhouse and Taco Bell are among several restaurants that have voluntarily pulled tomatoes from the menu, in light of the recent Salmonella outbreak that has sickened people in at least 16 states.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has said at least 23 people have been hospitalized, and no deaths have been reported.
The California Tomato Farmers President Ed Beckman said in a report that most of the salmonella cases have been clustered in New Mexico and Texas.
I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: this is one more excellent reason to have a garden, and to know exactly where your fresh produce comes from.
It’s also a good reminder to take precautions and follow food safety tips when it comes to fresh produce.
The salmonella food poisoning first linked to uncooked tomatoes has spread now to 16 states, federal health officials said on Saturday.
“We’re seeing a steady increase,” Deborah Busemeyer, New Mexico Department of Health communications director, said.
Another 50 people have been made sick by the same Salmonella “Saintpaul” infection in Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Oklahoma, Oregon, Utah, Virginia, Washington and Wisconsin, the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported. The source of the tomatoes causing illnesses has not been pinpointed. Health officials say cherry and grape tomatoes, tomatoes sold with the vine still attached, and home-grown tomatoes are likely not the source of the outbreak.
The CDC recommends that consumers:
- Refrigerate within 2 hours or discard cut, peeled or cooked tomatoes.
- Avoid purchasing bruised or damaged tomatoes, and throw away any that appear spoiled.
- Thoroughly wash tomatoes under running water.
- Keep tomatoes that will be consumed raw separate from raw meats, raw seafood, and raw produce items.
- Wash cutting boards, dishes, utensils and countertops with soap and hot water when switching between types of food products.
More information: FDA website
Photo: DruMcpherson.com
On Tuesday, an outbreak of salmonella food poisoning first linked to raw tomatoes has now been reported in nine states, according to U.S health officials.
Forty illnesses in Texas and New Mexico were confirmed by lab tests to be the same type of salmonella, right down to the genetic fingerprint. Texas and New Mexico health authorities and the Indian Health Service investigating the outbreak have linked those cases to uncooked, raw, large tomatoes.
Salmonella is a bacterial infection that lives in the intestinal tracts of humans and animals. It is usually transmitted to humans by the consumption of foods contaminated with animal feces. Symptoms include fever, diarrhea and abdominal cramps, which begin around 12 to 72 hours after infection. The illness can last for four to seven days, and many people who get it recover without treatment. However, severe infection and even death has been caused by salmonella. Infants, the elderly and people with weakened immune systems are at greatest risk for severe infections.
