What had started back in the mid-April 2008 timeframe as a small footnote in the necessity of careful cleaning of (supposedly) fresh produce has gathered steam (no pun intended) to a fever pitch (again, no pun intended) today, as the FDA has updated its warnings on the raw red tomatoes spanning from June 5, 2008 to June 9, 2008.
A lot of people have been frantically firing E-mails in my direction asking what to do about the tomatoes and where to go. I suspect this may have something to do with my well-known predilection toward producing various varieties of gazpacho using tomatoes, or perhaps knowing about my expertise and deep involvement in a couple of specific fields/professions.
But, whatever the reason(s) for asking me, here’s what you need to know…
Don’t Panic
Don’t Panic. (Repetition for emphasis, folks!)
If you have been consuming the same batch of raw tomatoes for several days and have not succumbed, you are probably fine for the time being. If you are not certain, you may certainly contact your primary care provider (PCP) or your local hospital or FDA field office.
Determine What is Affected
Thus far, the Salmonella serotype Saintpaul variety is stated to be responsible for this outbreak; this particular type of Salmonellosis has been mapped by the CDC to several states thus far. There is research going on at this time to determine whether all of these occurrences are associated with the contaminated raw tomatoes that we’re concerned with at this time.
Here are the states that have had the reported cases:
- New Mexico
- Texas
- Arizona
- Colorado
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Kansas
- Oklahoma
- Utah
- Virginia
- Wisconsin
Remember: not every reported case of this Salmonellosis form is necessarily due to the contaminated raw tomatoes that we’re concerned with right now, just that the Salmonella has been identified to be of the Saintpaul serotype.
Here are the types of tomatoes implicated in the outbreak:
- Raw red Roma tomatoes
- Raw red plum tomatoes
- Raw red round tomatoes
- Cherry tomatoes
- Grape tomatoes
- Home-grown tomatoes (yes, your own tomatoes)
- Tomatoes with the vine still attached
But there’s more: if you happen to have any of the three tomato types implicated in the outbreak, yours may not necessarily be associated with the outbreak if they were grown and harvested in one of the following locations:
- Arkansas
- Belgium
- California
- Canada
- Dominican Republic
- Georgia
- Guatemala
- Hawaii
- Israel
- Netherlands
- North Carolina
- Puerto Rico
- South Carolina
- Tennessee
- Texas
Determine Your Course of Action
What to Do if You are Already Affected
If you have recently consumed one or more of the suspected tomato varieties, and you are experiencing any or all of the following symptoms, you should contact your PCP or visit the hospital:
- Nausea and/or vomiting
- Fever
- Diarrhea (with or without blood)
- Abdominal pain
Some immunocompromised people, as well as children and elderly folks, may experience even more severe symptoms, or symptoms that seem really out-of-proportion to simple food poisoning… they should also proceed to the PCP or hospital. The “watch and wait” attitude after knowingly consuming one of the suspected tomato types is not a recommended course of action for these folks!
What to Do if You have the Implicated Tomatoes
Discard the tomatoes, or return them to the grocer you purchased them from in order to get a refund (assuming you comply with the return policy, if any).
What to Do if You have Other Fresh Produce
The FDA has a good information page describing guidelines on appropriate, safe handling of raw produce. Definitely worth a careful reading.
For the Paranoid Tomato Owners
For the more paranoid of you: regardless of the type of tomato you have, you can certainly choose to discard them and just not deal with them whatsoever.
For Further Reading
- FDA Bulletin (and more details): “Salmonellosis Outbreak in Certain Types of Tomatoes”
- FDA Press Release: “FDA Warns Consumers Nationwide Not to Eat Certain Types of Raw Red Tomatoes”
- FDA’s Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition (CFSAN): “Tomato Safety Initiative”
- FDA’s Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition (CFSAN): “Tomato Safety Initiative Continues in 2008″
- Wikipedia: “Salmonellosis”
- CDC: “Investigation of Outbreak of Infections Caused by Salmonella Saintpaul”
Disclaimer
For something this serious, you are warned that:
- My above recommendations are not a replacement for consulting with your own physician(s), your local ER, and/or your local official healthcare organization (depending on your insurance coverage, established medical relationships, and comfort level).
- More health updates are expected from the FDA, and such information may supercede what I’ve presented to you. Check the FDA bulletin page for any updates.
- My information does not represent any attempts to diagnose and/or treat issues associated with, or related to, the subject matter; my information does not establish any healthcare or medical relationship with you.
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