Salmonella outbreak in raw tomato's

Health officials warned consumers today about an outbreak of salmonella in raw tomatoes, following 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 may also 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 cheery 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 have also 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 more than 35 years old, 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, Center for Disease Control officials 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 U.S., and that there are likely far more infections than the 145 reported.

Salmonella is characterized by diarrhea, fever and abdominal cramps which 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 under four-years-old, or eight hours in an infant.


This Follows a report of Whole foods recalling tomato's the other day:

Whole Foods Market Inc. has recalled fresh Roma and large field-grown round tomatoes at all of its stores after the Texas Department of State Health Services warned of a salmonella outbreak linked to eating uncooked tomatoes.

Whole Foods has a store in Pittsburgh's East Liberty section.

Texas Department of State Health Services officials found 21 confirmed cases of salmonella in Texas since mid-April. State health officials believe the consumption of raw tomatoes is the likely source of the bacterial infection. No deaths have been reported.

Austin, Texas-based Whole Foods (NASDAQ: WFMI) has voluntarily pulled tomatoes without attached vines or stems from the shelves of its more than 270 stores.

"Additionally, the company's prepared foods departments at all stores are pulling these varieties from salads, sandwiches and other locations in the stores where tomatoes are used fresh," said Whole Foods spokeswoman Kate Lowery. "We have placed signage in the produce and prepared foods departments alerting shoppers of the salmonella issue. Since officials do not yet know the source, it is impossible to know what growers are affected at this time so we are taking extra precaution until we know more."

Customers who bought tomatoes are urged to cook the produce at 145 degrees to kill any possible salmonella, thoroughly wash all tomatoes under running water, separate tomatoes from raw meat and seafood, wash cutting boards and countertops with hot soap and water when switching between types of foods and remember to wash hands thoroughly before preparing or serving food.

Salmonella symptoms include headache, stomach pain, diarrhea, nausea and sometimes vomiting.