Jun 10, 2008 2:47 pm US/Eastern
Which Tomatoes Are Safe To Eat?
BOSTON (WBZ) ―
As fears of salmonella linked to three types of raw tomatoes plagues 17 states, many Massachusetts residents are asking which kinds of tomatoes are safe to eat and which ones aren't.
According to the FDA, a salmonella outbreak has been linked to red plum, red Roma and round red tomatoes (pictured below right).
Massachusetts and New Hampshire are not listed among the 17 states that have reported illnesses linked to the salmonella outbreak, and no local farms have been connected to the outbreak.
Cherry tomatoes, grape tomatoes, tomatoes sold with the vine still attached and homegrown tomatoes are likely NOT the source of the outbreak, federal officials said.
The FDA is advising consumers to stick to the following types of tomatoes, which are not linked to the outbreak:
Consumers who buy their produce from farmer's markets or farm stands should ask the retailers where the tomatoes came from because some stands get their tomatoes from sources other than local farms, the FDA said.
Consumers are urged to avoid tomatoes that look damaged, for example, if the skin of the tomato is broken.
Locally, Market Basket has pulled all tomatoes from its shelves and posted signs alerting customers of the salmonella outbreak.
Local Whole Foods store officials said it doesn't sell tomatoes from trouble regions but it has pulled all tomatoes from the Florida region. Officials said it is continuing to sell locally grown tomatoes.
Dozens of companies, including McDonald's, Wal-Mart, Burger King, Kroger, Outback Steakhouse, Winn-Dixie and Taco Bell, have voluntarily withdrawn red plum, red Roma or round red tomatoes unless they were grown in certain states and countries.
The FDA is investigating the source of the outbreak, agency spokeswoman Kimberly Rawlings said. "We are working hard and fast on this one and hope to have something as quickly as possible," Rawlings said Monday.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has said that since mid-April, 167 people infected with salmonella with the same "genetic fingerprint" have been identified. At least 23 people have been hospitalized.
A 67-year-old cancer patient in Texas who health officials said was sickened by salmonella at a Mexican restaurant is believed to be the first death associated with the outbreak.
Salmonella is a bacteria that lives in the intestinal tracts of humans and other animals. The bacteria are usually transmitted to humans by eating foods contaminated with animal feces.
Most infected people suffer fever, diarrhea and abdominal cramps starting 12 to 72 hours after infection. The illness tends to last four to seven days.
The salmonella causing the outbreak is a very unusual type called salmonella saintpaul, said FDA Commissioner Andrew C. von Eschenbach, who added it was not more virulent than other types of salmonella.
(© 2008 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
