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Fresh Tomato Salmonella Warning is Now Nation-wide, Local Growers Couldn't be Happier

By Pritzker | Ruohonen

The federal government has expanded its warning on fresh tomatoes to include the entire nation after 167 people have been confirmed infected with genetically linked strains of Salmonella Saintpaul in 17 different states.  The FDA's first warning did not mention the states of Arkansas, California, Georgia, Hawaii, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Texas, but all of these states are now included in the FDA warning.  The states with the most reported cases are Arizona (12 cases), Illinois (27 cases), New Mexico (39 cases), and Texas (56 cases).  The illness began between April 16 and May 27, 2008.  At least 23 persons have been hospitalized.  At least one death has been reported but has not been confirmed. 

The affected types of tomato include fresh and fresh cut red Roma, red plum, and round red tomatoes.  Food products made with these tomatoes are also affected.  Cherry and grape tomatoes and tomatoes with the vine still attached were not affected by this recall. 

This FDA warning has led restaurants all over the nation to pull fresh tomatoes and salsas from their menu including McDonalds, Chipotle, Burger King, Wal-Mart, Kroger, Winn-Dixie, Outback Steakhouse and Taco Bell.

But the panic over tomatoes has been a boon to small, local tomato growers whose tomatoes are not included in the recall.  With large, commercial-grown tomatoes pulled off grocers' shelves, restaurants and grocers have had to rely on local sources for their tomatoes.  LocalNews8 in Idaho interviewed local tomato grower Phil Neibur.  Mr. Neibur explained the local farmers' glee:  "This time they (four local grocery stores) called us and said bring everything.  So, yeah it's been a tomato grower's dream -- a local tomato grower's dream.  I'm sure it's not a dream for anybody else."

Local farmers are hoping this outbreak will help to spark a greater demand for locally grown food after consumers continue to witness the failure of large commercial ventures to properly regulate our food supply.  Janice Smith of Smith Family Farms, in an interview with The Mercury News of Silicon Valley, explains, "When you buy on a local level, I think food is a whole lot safer.  We can trace it back.  [A Salmonella outbreak is] not something that would happen on a small farm."

Full post as published by Food Poisoning Law Blog on June 10, 2008 (boomark / email).