FDA Clears Tomatoes as Source of Salmonella Outbreak.

According to many sources, including the official FDA web site, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has lifted yesterday its warning on of raw tomatoes in regard to the Salmonella outbreak which it is said has affected more than 1200 people in the United States.

However, the warning on jalapeño and serrano peppers have been enforced again since both peppers are still under suspicion as the probable cause of the food borne epidemic of Salmonella

According to The FDA this outbreak has been the "largest outbreak of food borne disorder in a decade." But the cause is still unknown. Caution, especially for young children, the elderly or people with week immune systems, is spelled out by the FDA authorities regarding fresh jalapeno and Serrano peppers.

Right now and according to an FDA press release, the FDA is sure that fresh Roma, red plum and vineless red round tomatoes -- are free of the outbreak strain at this point in time.

The FDA press release says: "Tomatoes that are currently on the market in the U.S. are safe to consume...Microbiological tests conducted on more than 1,700 samples of water, soil, tomatoes and other items acquired from packing facilities, warehouses and fields in Florida and Mexico did not reveal any trace of the bacteria" SO this is a PRETTY ASSURING STATEMENT ESPECIALLY COMING FROM THE FDA.

According to different web sources, the Warning (issued on April when the outbreak started) has caused the tomato industry a loss estimated at tens of millions of dollars. Also it is said that sale of tomatoes has dropped 20 percent in June and sales of Roma and round red tomatoes - has decreased by 40 to 50 percent last month.

The number of cases of infections has decreased since April. The CDC estimates that 1,196 people in 42 states, the District of Columbia and Canada, have been sickened by Salmonella on this particular outbreak.

Sources:
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

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