Consumer Affair
Salsa becomes new suspect as source of Salmonella outbreak
By Sue Mueller
Jul 3, 2008 - 3:00:05 PM

Tomatoes; Credit: wikipedia

THURSDAY July 3, 2008 (foodconsumer.org) -- The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention today July 3 updated the ongoing salmonella outbreak on its website saying that 922 persons in 40 states have been confirmed to suffer from salmonella Saintpaul since April.  Of the reported cases, 210 have fallen ill since June 1. At least 110 people were hospitalized.

The CDC on Wednesday said it started focusing on other possible routes including fresh salsa of the contamination that has caused the ongoing multistate salmonella outbreak, USA Today reports. Initially, tomatoes were the prime suspect, but chances have become slim to find the source of tainted tomatoes.

Salsa is made of tomatoes, and other ingredients commonly including onions, jalapenos, garlic, cilantro, maybe also tomatillos and other fresh produce.

The CDC has already directed local and state health officials to look at the ingredients commonly used in the production of fresh salsa, CDC spokesman Glen Nowak was cited as saying.

The new move of the agency does not imply that canned salsa is a suspect.  Only the fresh-made salsas prepared in the home or local eateries are under investigation.

News reports say that the federal agency and state health officials are also probing possible links between clusters of illnesses and eating foods commonly served with tomatoes at 29 different restaurants.

After a couple of struggling in the investigation into the source of salmonella outbreak, both the Food and Drug Administration and the CDC have started doubting that tainted tomatoes are the cause.

Still, the FDA keeps its advice on its website saying that consumers should avoid eating raw red plum, Roma and round tomatoes from unknown sources although many growers are cleared of any association with the outbreak.

The produce industry is calling for an investigation of the FDA and CDC to find out why the federal agencies may have picked tomatoes instead of Salsa as the source for all these illnesses, William Marler wrote on his blog.

If tomatoes ended up not being associated with the outbreak, Tom Nassif, president and chief executive of Western Growers, was cited by USA Today as saying that growers might ask for a financial relief from Congress.

Salmonella seldom causes any death, but can cause diarrhea, vomiting and stomach pain in some people.  The symptoms go away in a few days without any treatment.  The bacteria can be more of a risk for young children, elderly and those who have their immune system compromised.