Personal Injury Law

Unnamed Maryland Health Official Fingers Jalapeno Peppers as Cause of Salmonella Saintpaul Outbreak

By Bill Marler, Esq.

First it was Tomatoes, now it is Peppers? Jonathan Rockoff of the Baltimore Sun has continued on the trail of the likely ingredients of salsa that has sickened nearly 1,000 across the country over the last three months. However, like tomatoes:

So far, none of the jalapenos taken from restaurants and from the homes of those who became ill have tested positive for Salmonella Saintpaul. Echoing federal officials, who said this week that tomatoes remain the prime suspect, the health officials said that tomatoes cannot be ruled out as the cause of the outbreak. Investigators have been collecting samples of another possible suspect, cilantro, though the herb is less likely to be the source, said the officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the investigation is continuing.

One health official involved in the investigation said "loose ends" are keeping tomatoes under suspicion, but the official said they could be accounted for easily. The official said evidence is "piling up" that indicates that jalapenos are to blame. ??"There's certainly no shred of doubt in my mind," the official said. Another health official was more cautious, saying that the evidence is pointing to peppers but that there is not yet enough information to rule out tomatoes.

Hmm, now it is clear?

Full post as published by Marler Blog on July 04, 2008 (boomark / email).