Latest News on the FDA Tomato Recall and the Salmonella Outbreak

June 13^th (Associated Content) - It's been 10 days since the FDA first warned of a link between salmonella and tomatoes and rumors are starting to fly. So let's set the record straight with the latest facts on the salmonella outbreak and tomatoes.

First, according to the CDC, there have been no reported deaths due to this outbreak , although one victim of the outbreak died of cancer and salmonella may have been a contributing factor. As of this writing 228 people have been identified with the Salmonella serotype Saintpaul strain that has been associated with commercially produced tomatoes. This compares to 3 cases of this same strain during the same period last year. All identified cases were contracted between April 10^th and June 1^st. That doesn't necessarily mean no one has gotten it since June 1^st, just that they haven't been positively diagnosed yet. Texas and New Mexico report the most cases, followed by Illinois and Arizona. In all 23 states have reported patients with Salmonella serotype Saintpaul infections.

The next rumor is that the outbreak is the result of tomatoes imported from Mexico. The FDA and the CDC have not been able to identify the source of the tainted tomatoes. No one knows if they came from Mexico or not at the writing of this article. The following locations have however been ruled out as sources of the contamination by the FDA: Alabama,Alaska,Arkansas,California, Colorado, Delaware, Florida (counties of: Jackson, Gadsden, Leon, Jefferson, Madison, Suwannee, Hamilton, Hillsborough, Polk, Manatee, Hardee, DeSoto, Sarasota, Highlands, Pasco, Sumter, Citrus, Hernando, Charlotte) but only with a certificate from the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Georgia, Hawaii, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Nebraska, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, and Wisconsin.

Tomatoes from the following sources outside the United States have also been declared safe: Belgium, Canada, Dominican Republic, Guatemala, Israel, Netherlands, and Puerto Rico.

The FDA recommends that if you cannot positively identify the source of the tomatoes as one of the above locations you should not eat them. Items made with fresh tomatoes should be treated similarly. This includes: fresh salsa, guacamole, and pico de gallo. Other foods such as hamburgers, grinders, and tortillas may use fresh tomatoes as fillings ingredients.

Only raw Roma tomatoes, raw red round tomatoes, and raw red plum tomatoes are affected. Grape tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, and tomatoes presented for sale with the vine still attached have not been connected with this outbreak in any way and can be eaten as usual.

The third rumor is that this outbreak of Salmonella is of an especially virulent and deadly form. This is false as well. Salmonella serotype Saintpaul is not a substantially more severe strain than most other Salmonella strains and if a patient does develop more serious symptoms, they should respond well to antibiotic treatment as prescribed by a doctor barring other complicating illnesses.

In summary, this outbreak has not been identified as the cause of any deaths, no specific supplier or region has been identified as the source of the infection, and Salmonella serotype Saintpaul is not significantly more severe than more common strains of Salmonella. Those are the facts at this time. If you hear rumors to the contrary set them straight.

Sources:
Investigation of Outbreak of Infections Caused by Salmonella Saintpaul, CDC.
Salmonellosis Outbreak in Certain Types of Tomatoes , FDA.