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Tomato Salmonella Scare Hits Florida Hard

By Eddie Farah

Just take a look at the FDA's list of states from which you can safely buy tomatoes not tainted with salmonella Saintpaul. At last look, Florida was the only state broken up by counties.

The FDA is concentrating its investigation on Mexico and Florida, specifically south and central Florida, which was the source of the last few salmonella outbreaks, and which was in the middle of harvesting when the salmonella cases began being reported in mid-April.

Let's hope they conclude this thing quickly.

Florida tomato growers are feeling the pinch. In Mulberry, Florida, East Coast Brokers & Packers have hundreds of boxes of tomatoes just being help in a warehouse. The industry will cost the state hundreds of millions in revenue.

This weekend, FDA inspectors are heading to Florida farms looking for the source of the rare Saintpaul strain of salmonella in tainted tomatoes. A farm or a particular packing house could be the source of the bacteria, that originates in feces. A packing house is where many tomatoes from various farms come in and the contamination could be spread.

We are now in the nation's largest salmonella outbreak from tomatoes, having sickened 552 people in 32 states. Consumers should be aware that salmonella sickness includes nausea, vomiting, cramps, and diarrhea. The elderly and very young, anyone immune compromised can become serious ill. If it gets into the blood stream, salmonella can be fatal.

Keep checking the FDA Web site to make sure your area of Florida is cleared.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Eddie Farah

Full post as published by Jacksonville Personal Injury Lawyer on June 20, 2008 (boomark / email).