FitSugar

Salmonella Update: Mystery Solved?

FitSugar — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 10:10:00 -0700

We may be once again putting tomatoes on our plates, but the source of the salmonella outbreak has remained a mystery. The FDA just announced that a possible source of the salmonella outbreak – water. They found strains of salmonella in both irrigation water and serrano peppers at a Mexican farm in Nuevo Leon.

Since the tomato industry has lost over $300 million because so much produce had to be thrown out due to the government's warnings, the FDA has been hammered with questions, of course the most pressing one being, "Why did the investigation originally focus on tomatoes?" Officials said in the early part of the investigation, there was definitely a link to tomatoes, and that this red fruit still shouldn't be ruled out entirely. They also said it's possible that the salmonella outbreak was connected to several different kinds of produce. Well that would make sense if irrigation was the culprit.

As for now, two farms in Mexico are still under investigation: The Tamaulipas farm and the Nuevo Leon farm. People are still being advised to avoid raw jalapeño or serrano peppers from Mexico. I don't know about you, but something tells me this issue isn't a closed book. The Mexican government strongly disagrees with the FDA findings. First it was tomatoes, then it was hot peppers, and now the water. What element could possibly be implicated next?

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Salmonella Update: Not Just the Tomatoes Anymore!

FitSugar — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 03:30:00 -0700

If you've been avoiding tomatoes for fear of getting a salmonella infection then you're going to have to add serrano and jalapeno peppers, as well as cilantro to your "do not eat" list.

The Chicago Tribune is reporting that the Food and Drug Administration has begun looking at serrano and jalapeno peppers and cilantro - basically the ingredients used to make salsa - as possible causes of the outbreak. Tomatoes continue to be investigated as well. With over a thousand folks infected at this point, some officials are calling this the worst foodborne illness outbreak in the US in a decade - yikes!

Me, I've starting eating tomatoes again, but I'm going to try to steer clear of the spicy peppers in question as well as the tasty herb. Most of you said you weren't avoiding tomatoes, so will you be avoiding the peppers and cilantro (perhaps even salsa) until this all is cleared up?

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Biggest Headline of 2008: The Salmonella Scare

FitSugar — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 03:00:00 -0800

Feasting on tomatoes this Summer seemed a bit like playing Russian Roulette. In early June reports of tomatoes contaminated with salmonella made headlines. The contamination grew like a virus in an incubator. First we learned that the tainted tomatoes were in 16 states, but the number rapidly increased to include 30 states.

As the FDA investigated the salmonella outbreak, serrano and jalapeno peppers as well as cilantro were added to the list of suspicious foods. Suddenly salsa just seemed off-limits, and around 1,500 cases of salmonella were reported overall. Tracking down the source of the infection proved difficult. International borders were involved, and tomatoes, peppers, and cilantro are often sold without tags. Plus, by the time a person becomes symptomatic, the tainted produce is no longer around to test. Ultimately, a possible source was found on a couple farms in Mexico when irrigation water and serrano peppers tested positive for the strain of salmonella. Mexico strongly disagreed with the FDA's findings and the case is not completely closed, but food safety continues to concern many Americans.

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FDA Gives the OK on Eating Tomatoes

FitSugar — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 10:00:00 -0700

If you've been avoiding certain tomatoes since this horrific salmonella outbreak, go ahead and bite into any tomato you want. Since no strain of salmonella Saintpaul was found on any farms that were tested, the FDA believes that consumers can now enjoy all types of fresh tomatoes.

The mystery still stands though as to what caused this outbreak in the first place, which has now sickened 1,220 people in 42 states - the earliest case on April 10 and the latest so far on July 4. Hot peppers are still on the list of things to watch out for, so people with weakened immune systems and the elderly should avoid fresh jalapeños and serranos.

I'm wondering, have you been avoiding tomatoes recently? If so, will the FDA's announcement settle your mind and let you enjoy tomatoes again, or are you still a little leery?

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