Salmonella Outbreak Linked to Raw Tomatoes

 
See comments by John Cartmell, MS, at end of article.
 

6-8-2008
By Elizabeth Weise, USA TODAY,
http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2008-06-08-tomatoes_N.htm

The Food and Drug Administration said Sunday that 145 to 150 people in 16 states have been sickened by salmonella bacteria, which has been linked to the consumption of raw red tomatoes.

The FDA initially issued a warning June 3 about tomatoes in New Mexico and Texas. Saturday, officials expanded the warning nationwide.

There were 25 hospitalizations but no deaths. The cause is a rare strain of salmonella called Salmonella Saintpaul.

"We're trying to get an answer as quickly as possible as to where these tomatoes came from," says David Acheson, director of the FDA's Food Safety and Security Staff.

The FDA hasn't been able to track the source of the contaminated tomatoes to a single grower or packer or even a specific geographic area. It is working with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, state health departments and the food industry to track the cause of the outbreak.

States reporting illnesses include Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Oregon, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington and Wisconsin.

Cherry tomatoes, grape tomatoes, tomatoes sold with the vine still attached and home-grown tomatoes are not associated with the outbreak, Acheson says. FDA officials are still determining the type of tomatoes involved in the outbreak, but the agency's preliminary investigation suggests that raw red plum, red Roma or round red tomatoes are the culprit.

Salmonellosis in healthy people can cause fever, diarrhea (which can be bloody), nausea, vomiting and stomach pain.

"It's not something that you'd want," Acheson says. "It's going to land you with two or three days of a lot of discomfort."

In most healthy adults, the illness will "run its course at home. They're not going to require antibiotics," he says.

Salmonellosis can be dangerous to young children, the elderly or people with weakened immune systems. For young children especially, dehydration is an issue. The FDA recommends that if people in these groups get the illness, a health care professional should be contacted immediately.

Cooking tomatoes at 145 degrees for at least 15 seconds will probably kill the bacteria.

Simply washing tomatoes can help, but it won't necessarily remove the salmonella bacteria, because when tomatoes are picked on very hot days and put into cold water to chill, salmonella on their surface can be drawn up into the fruit.

That doesn't mean the public should stop washing produce, Acheson says. "If there is surface contamination, washing will help remove it."

John Cartmell comments:

One of the best ways to prevent food poisoning from Salmonella and other food-borne pathogenic bacteria is to include probiotic bacteria regularly in the diet. Probiotic bacteria include a number of different beneficial bacteria which normally inhabit the intestines of all animals. Two common probiotic strains are Lactobacillus Acidophilus and Bifidus, commonly found in sour milk products like cheese, yogurt, buttermilk and kefir. Dairy-free probiotic supplements can also be purchased from health stores. Intestinal probiotic bacteria ferment milk sugar (lactose) into lactic acid, and some vegetable fibers into short chain molecules that can be metabolized for energy. In the process, these bacteria also produce nearly the entire vitamin B complex, and vitamin K, essential for normal blood clotting.

Probiotic bacteria have a normalizing effect on the intestines, and control food-borne bacteria by both producing natural antimicrobial substances, and by physical displacement. Sources of probiotic bacteria should be taken generously when food poisoning is suspected in order to protect the probiotic bacteria from being displaced by the pathogenic bacteria.

Probiotic bacteria can also be depleted by alcohol consumption, antibiotic drugs, diets low in lactose or vegetable fiber, and regular consumption of antibiotic foods, herbs or spices like garlic, onions, kelp, allspice, cinnamon, ginger, coriander, cumin, cloves, chillies, oregano and turmeric. Because of these and other nutritional stressors, probiotic bacteria should be included in the diet several times a week to help maintain the normal bacterial flora.

The ability of probiotic bacteria to prevent or decrease food poisoning is well recognized and supported by research studies. For additional information please visit the following three links.

  • Probiotics, such as Lactobacillus acidophilus and Lactobacillus bulgaricus, can help restore the balance of good bacteria in the intestine. If you are traveling to an area where the food and water may be contaminated, taking probiotics before and during your trip may help maintain intestinal health. http://www.altmd.com/Articles/Food-poisoning

John W. Cartmell, MS
www.dietadvisor.com

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