SUNDAY July 27, 2008 (foodconsumer.org) -- The US Food and Drug Administration issued an advisory Friday to remind food consumers that jalapeno and Serrano peppers grown in the U.S. are not linked to the current Salmonella St. Paul outbreak.

The FDA said consumers need to avoid eating raw jalapeno peppers and foods that contain peppers grown and harvested or packed in Mexico.

In addition, commercially canned, pickled and cooked jalapeno peppers from any geographic locations are not connected with the outbreak.

Tests indicated that the Agricola Zaragoza plant in McAllen Texas, which was early identified as a company importing and selling jalapeno peppers from Mexico, was not the original source of the salmonella contamination.

At this time, the FDA is continuing to advise people at high risk of infections not to eat raw Serrano peppers from Mexico or food made of raw Serrano pepper from Mexico until further notice.

The CDC updated the outbreak on Friday saying that as of July 24, 1294 persons have been infected with Salmonella Saintpaul since April in 43 states, the District of Columbia and Canada.

The following are the common questions and answers published on the FDA website.

Consumer Information and Advice

• What kind of illness does Salmonella cause?

  People who have eaten food contaminated with Salmonella often have fever, diarrhea (which may be bloody), nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain. The bacterium can enter the bloodstream and cause more severe illness, although this rarely happens. Infection with Salmonella also may be more serious or fatal in young children, frail or elderly people, and people with weakened immune systems.

• What is Salmonella?

  Salmonella is a type of bacterium. The type of Salmonella causing illness in this outbreak, Salmonella Saintpaul, is relatively uncommon. Fruits and vegetables that come into contact with Salmonella may become contaminated with it, causing illness if eaten. Salmonella lives in the intestinal tracts of some animals, and can live in soil and water for months. Once Salmonella has contaminated something, it can be spread from surface to surface. Fresh produce contaminated with Salmonella can spread the bacterium to the hands of a person who cuts the produce and to the cutting board on which the produce is sliced, for example.

• Has the warning against eating certain types of tomatoes been removed?

  The FDA has removed the warning to avoid certain types of tomatoes. At this time, there is no reason to believe that tomatoes currently on the market are contaminated with Salmonella Saintpaul. For example, tomatoes that were coming into season at the outset of the outbreak are extremely unlikely to still be in the supply chain. Consumers may resume enjoying any type of tomato, including the raw red plum, raw red Roma, and raw red round tomatoes that had been included in the now-removed warning.

• Why had the FDA warned against eating tomatoes during this outbreak?

  The first case-control study conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) at the onset of this outbreak did indicate a strong association between the consumption of certain types of raw tomatoes and illness caused by Salmonella Saintpaul.

• Why is the FDA lifting the warning against certain types of tomatoes?

  Firms that had been producing tomatoes during the onset of the outbreak are no longer doing so, as part of their production cycle. It is very unlikely that any of the batches of tomatoes originally associated with the outbreak are still in the food-supply chain.

• Are jalapeño and serrano peppers being investigated as part of this outbreak?

  Recently, the CDC reported to the FDA that many, although not all, people who have become ill in this outbreak ate fresh jalapeño or serrano peppers or foods that contained them, such as some types of fresh salsa. Based on this information from the CDC, the FDA expanded its investigation to include jalapeños and serranos.

• Have any food samples been found that are contaminated with the outbreak strain, Salmonella Saintpaul?

  One of the raw jalapeño pepper samples FDA tested was a genetic match with the outbreak serotype, Salmonella Saintpaul. The discovery was the result of investigations over the past several weeks by FDA scientists and field investigators. The contaminated sample was obtained during an inspection of a produce distribution center in McAllen, TX. The jalapeños were grown in Mexico. Fresh produce often changes hands many times in the supply chain from farm to table. The complexity of today's food chain is among the challenges of tracing contaminated fresh produce back to its source.

• Does the discovery of the contaminated jalapeños mean the source of the Salmonella Saintpaul outbreak has been found and that the outbreak is over?

  Although the outbreak appears to have peaked, it is ongoing. Cases of Salmonella Saintpaul continue to be reported, and FDA continues its investigation. Epidemiologic data to date suggest that the entire outbreak can not be explained by the jalapeño contamination found recently by investigators. However, the discovery of the contaminated jalapeño sample is an important development.

• Should consumers avoid fresh jalapeño peppers or foods that contain them during this outbreak?

  Jalapeño and Serrano peppers grown in the United States are not not to wash, peel, or cook these kinds of raw peppers to try to get rid of Salmonella not likely to get rid of Salmonella, which is very hard to remove by conventional means, and might spread the bacterium to the environment; for example, to hands, sinks, cutting boards, knives, and other foods. associated with this outbreak. The FDA advises all consumers to avoid raw jalapeño peppers, and foods that contain them, such as some types of salsa and pico de gallo, if the jalapeños were grown, harvested, or packed in Mexico. FDA also advises consumers who are especially vulnerable to infection, such as infants, the elderly, and people with weakened immune systems, to avoid raw serrano peppers from Mexico, as well as foods that contain them. Consumers are advised contamination that may be present. These actions are

• How can consumers tell where jalapeño peppers are from?

  Consumers may ask their retailers or food service providers, such as store or restaurant managers, where the jalapeño and serrano peppers they sell were grown, harvested, and packed.

• What do jalapeño and serrano peppers look like?

  See the photos below.

  Jalapeño Pepper
  

  photo by Luis Solorzano, FDA

  Serrano Pepper
  

  photo by Luis Solorzano, FDA
• Is it safe to eat canned jalapeño and serrano peppers or processed foods that contain them?

  All consumers may continue to eat canned jalapeño and serrano peppers processed in a commercial food-processing facility, or foods that contain them; for example, the canned processed jalapeños and processed salsas sold in grocery stores.