Salmonella Saintpaul Discovered in Mexican Water

There must be something in the water. How many times have you heard that lament? Well, this time it is accurate. Salmonella Saintpaul with the outbreak strain fingerprint has been found in irrigation water at a farm in Nuevo Leon, Mexico.

Federal health officials said Wednesday that they have had an important break in the hunt for the source of the outbreak. Since April, more than 1,300 folks infected with the same strain have been identified in 43 states, DC, and Canada. This strain of salmonella may have also caused complications that led to two deaths in Texas.

On July 21, The FDA traced a tainted jalapeno pepper to a farm in Tamaulipas, Mexico, which is a considerable distance from the Nuevo Leon farm. Both farms, however, shared the same Neuvo Leon packing facility. "We have a smoking gun, it appears," said Dr. Lonnie King, who directs the center for food borne illnesses at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Prior to this smoking gun, officials focused on Tomatoes. It was that focus that was at the heart of a congressional hearing Wednesday, where officials were grilled. The regulatory agencies focus on tomatoes has caused farmers to lose millions of dollars. That's a lot of hay folks and you can read about that here: Tomato Farmers' Sour Grapes - Associated Content

Dr. David Acheson, FDA's Assistant Commissioner for Food Protection, speaking at the hearing claimed that science strongly indicated tomatoes were to blame and the possibility some were contaminated still hasn't been ruled out. The Tamaulipas farm grew tomatoes and peppers, where as the farm in Nuevo Leon, the site of the contaminated irrigation water does not grow tomatoes. The agency explained that any contaminated tomatoes would be out of the food supply chain by now.

The FDA states only Mexican-grown raw jalapeños and their hotter cousin raw Serrano peppers had been linked to the salmonella outbreak. The focus of the investigation is now on the peppers and the two farms in Mexico. Let's see if the regulatory agencies will be roasted over this new approach.

The Mexican government has scoffed at the findings of U.S. investigators. Surprised? The investigation continues. In the mean time, consumer advisories can be found on the CDC website. Borrowed from the site and included here for your convenience is the following:

Consumers everywhere are advised to follow the general food safety guidelines below:

Refrigerate within 2 hours or discard cut, peeled, or cooked produce items

Avoid purchasing bruised or damaged produce items, and discard any that appear spoiled.

Thoroughly wash all produce items under running water.

Keep produce items that will be consumed raw separate from raw meats, raw seafood, and raw produce items.

Wash cutting boards, dishes, utensils, and counter tops with hot water and soap when switching between types of food products.

Consumers are reminded that vegetables are an important part of a healthy diet and that cooking vegetables kills bacteria, including Salmonella.

For a fun list of healthy fruits and vegetables check out: God's Pharmacy: Popular Email Reviewed and Revised - Associated Content