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Case of Salmonella linked to tomatoes confirmed in Colorado 6-9-08

Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment said today June 9, 2008 that as of June 6 Friday, the state has received one report of Salmonella serotype Saintpaul confirmed to match the outbreak pattern.

The case resides in Weld County. Two other cases of Salmonella Saintpaul in Otero County remain to be confirmed, the CDPHE said in a statement.

Early this month, the Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and some state governments announced the multistate outbreak of Salmonella, which has been found associated with consumption of raw red tomatoes.

red round tomatoes implicated in the outbreak. Credit: FDA
The outbreak has since Mid-April resulted in at least 150 cases of illness and 23 hospitalizations, but no death in 16 states including Texas and New Mexico.

CDPHE said that FDA, CDC, the Indian health Service and the state health department and other states are investigating the outbreak of Salmonella Saintpaul that appears to be linked to tomatoes.

The specific type of tomatoes that may have triggered the outbreak has yet to be determined, but preliminary data suggest that large tomatoes including Roma, red plum and round red tomatoes may be the culprit.

On June 3, and later on June 7, the FDA advised that consumers in New Mexico and Texas to limit their tomato consumption to those that have not been implicated in the outbreak.

The safe to eat tomatoes include cherry tomatoes, grape tomatoes, tomatoes sold with vine and grown at home and those regardless of their types from Arkansas, California, Georgia, Hawaii, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Belgium, Canada, Dominican Republic, Guatemala, Israel, Netherlands, Puerto Rico.

At this time, CDPHE said "there is no specific guidance from CDC/FDA about tomato consumption for residents of other states in which cases have been identified (e.g. Colorado), however persons who are concerned about tomato safety can choose to avoid them during this period."

To citizens in the state of Colorado, CDPHE is providing the following guidance:

1) Persons who think they may have become ill from eating tomatoes are advised to visit their health care provider. CDPHE will NOT be testing stool from persons who believe they may have become ill from eating tomatoes.

2) Persons concerned about tomato safety should be referred to the FDA and CDC websites for the latest guidance.

3) Persons concerned about whether a specific tomato is contaminated with Salmonella should be counseled to discard it. CDPHE will NOT be testing tomatoes from the general public.

FDA recommended that "New Mexico and Texas retailers, restaurateurs, and food service operators offer only fresh and fresh cut red Roma, red plum, and round red tomatoes and food products made from these tomatoes for sale or service from the sources listed above." and that "retailers, restaurateurs, and food service operators continue to offer cherry tomatoes, grape tomatoes, and tomatoes sold with the vine still attached, from any source."

Many retailers and restaurants have stop selling or serving the potentially tainted tomatoes. They include McDonald's, Chipotle Mexican grill Inc, Burger King, Texas Roadhouse, H.E. Butt Grocery Co., Wal-Mart stores, Albertsons and Whole Foods

Comment:

Organic tomatoes should not be affected!