Salmonella outbreak in certain type of tomatoes

Dear friends,

I came across this article about issues with tomatoes in USA. I didn't believe it too but when i read the blog on CNN, i thought i would share it with my iLite friends.

Check this link in CNN and be cautious while purchasing tomatoes. You can find relative links in the same page about cautions issued against tomatoes.

Hey Sharadha,

They informed this in the local and Nationals news yesterday !! So most of us are aware of this.

Also, there is always some scare or other for food stuffs here...chicken, beef, lettuce, spinach and now tomatoes !!

There is no end to these...and we need to be careful..!

Thanks for sharing this here.

Cheers
Krithika

Health officials warned consumers Sunday about an outbreak of salmonella in raw tomatoes, after the illness of one woman in Contra Costa County and 144 other infections nationwide.
The source of the tomatoes is still unknown, but officials believe that large tomatoes, including Roma and round red, are carrying the strain, Salmonella sereotype Saintpaul, that has infected 145 people since mid-April. Red plum tomatoes also may be affected, according to a statement by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
The FDA is recommending limiting raw tomato consumption to those that are not the likely source of the outbreak, including cherry tomatoes, grape tomatoes, tomatoes sold with their vine attached and homegrown tomatoes.
No one has died from the recent outbreak, though at least 23 people have been hospitalized. The majority of the infections have occurred in New Mexico and Texas, but cases also have been reported in Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Oregon, Utah, Virginia, Washington and Wisconsin.
The Contra Costa resident was not identified, but county health officials said Friday she is older than 35, did not have to be hospitalized and has recovered. Investigators are working to determine whether the woman contracted the illness locally or elsewhere. She recently traveled to a state where several other cases have been reported, according a release issued by Contra Costa Health Services spokeswoman Kate Fowlie.
The department's communicable disease program chief, Francie Wise, sought to downplay the significance of the illness in a statement released Friday, noting that the county normally averages about 123 cases every year.
Nevertheless, officials of the Center for Disease Control and Prevention said in a statement Saturday that only three people were known to be infected with this particular strain of salmonella in 2007. Because the strain was so rare in past years, officials believe that the infected tomatoes were distributed through much of the United States, and that there are probably many more infections than the 145 reported.
Salmonella is characterized by diarrhea, fever and abdominal cramps that occur within 12 to 72 hours of infection. The illness lasts four to seven days and is usually diagnosed by culturing a stool sample. While most people do not need treatment, the disease can be dangerous to infants, elderly people and those with impaired immune systems. Officials recommend consulting a health care provider if diarrhea lasts longer than two days in an adult, one day in a child younger than 4, or eight hours in an infant.

FOOD SAFETY TIPS:

Salmonella can be transmitted to humans when fecal material from animals or humans contaminates food. Symptoms are similar to the flu, but the poisoning can be fatal to young children, pregnant women and other people with weakened immune systems.
Properly cooking meat, poultry and eggs, and washing produce are generally the best methods to prevent illness.
While there is no way for consumers to detect salmonella (you can't smell, taste or see it), there are some things you can do reduce the risk:
CHECK YOUR TOMATOES
The Food and Drug Administration is advising people to eat only tomatoes not associated with the outbreak: cherry tomatoes, grape tomatoes, tomatoes sold with the vine still attached and tomatoes grown at home.
Preliminary data suggest that raw red plum, Roma, or round red tomatoes are the cause, according to the FDA.
"The best thing to do if you have those certain types of tomatoes, throw them away or take them back the grocery store," says Karen Blakeslee, an extension associate in the food science program at Kansas State.
For other tomatoes, wash thoroughly and cut away the part that is attached to the plant and the button on the other side, says Julie Miller Jones, a professor of nutrition and food science at The College of St. Catherine in St. Paul, Minn. That part can carry a foodborne illness because it's a hard area and organisms can attach themselves to it, she says.
Cooking tomatoes at 145 degrees will kill salmonella.
INQUIRE AT RESTAURANTS
Ketchup and cooked sauces are not affected by the outbreak. And several restaurants are not serving tomatoes — on Monday, McDonald's said it had stopped serving sliced tomatoes in its U.S. restaurants.
Blakeslee advises finding out what the restaurant has done in response to the outbreak.
If you are really concerned, tell the restaurant to leave the tomatoes off the sandwiches and salads, says Jones. She says even if you remove them once your order comes, the food could still be contaminated.
REPORT THE ILLNESS
Many people misdiagnose salmonella poisoning as the flu, says Jones. Salmonella poisoning generally occurs hours after ingestion, she says, and involves symptoms such as abdominal cramps, headache, fever, diarrhea, nausea and vomiting.
The CDC says symptoms generally appear 12 to 72 hours after infection. People should report a suspected foodborne illness to the local health department.
WASH PRODUCE
Wash all produce, whether organic or not, with cold running water, says Jones. Scrub them gently with your hands or with a vegetable brush. Remove outer layers of cabbage and lettuce.
Fruits should be washed, regardless of whether you are eating the peel, says Al Baroudi, president of Food Safety Institute (FSI) International. He says even if someone is peeling an orange, that person is touching part of the orange he is going to eat. (Bananas are an exception.)
Don't bother with a special vegetable wash, says Jones. She says studies show that it's not much better than water.
WASH HANDS, SURFACES
Wash your hands with soap and water thoroughly before handling food, says Blakeslee. Wash your hands if you come in contact with pet feces, use the bathroom or change a baby's diaper.
Also wash cutting boards, counters and utensils to avoid cross-contamination. Avoid any kind of contact with raw meat when preparing fresh vegetables. Refrigerate sliced up fruits and vegetables.

Nandhu,

Sharadha already opened a thread for the same topic some time back . :)

Here is the link

BREAKING NEWS - Are my tomatoes safe?

hi nandu,
thanks for the detailed info...was just seeing hearing the news yesterday and wondering what it was all about....
something or the other seems to be cropping up here...
but i guess indian cooking is generally safe as everything is thoroughly cooked all the way....we just have to be careful about salads i guess....

hi nandu,

thanx for sharing this info. well last time it was spinach and this time it is tomato..........

oopsie... I did not see that.. May be MODS can merge these threads together.. Thanks krithika

yeah.. they say if its cooked throughly no need to worry.. but what about many of us who have burgers, salads and pastas at work Got to be very careful..

Always clean the veggies before using it..

Thank you ladies for letting us know about the outbreak and also for the link you have provided. I did notice the TV news but I was not sure about the brand.But the links you have provided was very helpful in removing the tomatoes lying in the fridge.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE LINK AND NEWS.

Regards

Hi Nandu,

Thanks for the info , even i didn't get any tomatoes in the groceries stores coz of the Out break, But my doubt is Should we discard the tomatoes lying in the fridge too..., what u ladies have been doing? R u avoiding tomatoes totally...?

Cheers
vaidehi