FDA Reports Salmonella Tomatoes found in 17 states
The Salmonella-tainted tomato illnesses have expanded to include 17 states said U.S health officials. As of Wednesday June 11, the number of reported cases has risen to 167. Representatives from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said they have yet to determine the source of the Salmonella outbreak, which has hit New Mexico and Texas the hardest. Officials said the earliest reported onset of illness was on April 16 and that the latest was May 27. Of the 167 cases reported, 23 have resulted in hospitalization. Chief of the CDC’s OutbreakNet Team, Ian Williams said that the latest poisoning scare has yet to be associated with any specific restaurants or grocery stores. The tomato recall includes raw plum, Roma and round tomatoes. Tomatoes from the central region of Florida are under investigation, but the FDA has not ruled out Mexico which produces 84 percent of the tomatoes imported by the United States. Salmonella bacteria produce symptoms including fever, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain and generally appear within 12 to 72 hours of eating tainted food. The current outbreak is caused by an uncommon type of bacteria known as Salmonella Saintpaul.
