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SIERRA VISTA — Concerns about a recent salmonella outbreak have caused several Arizona restaurants to stop serving fresh tomatoes. Health officials say that a multistate outbreak of Salmonella Saintpaul is linked to eating certain varieties of uncooked tomatoes including red plum, red Roma and red round.
The source of the tomatoes responsible for the illnesses in at least 16 states has not been pinpointed. In a recent update, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says at least 23 people have been hospitalized with the food poisoning, but no deaths have been reported.
To date, 12 cases have been reported in Arizona. None of those are from Cochise County.
“There have been four cases in Apache County, one in Coconino County, four in Maricopa County, one in Navajo, one in Pima and one of the cases is unknown,” said Janey Pearl, spokeswoman from the Arizona Department of Health Services.
 These delicious tomatoes, purchased from a Sierra Vista grocery Sunday, were eaten Monday by a Herald/Review staffer who suffered no ill effects afterward. (Suzanne Cronn•Herald/Review) |
Several restaurant chains have pulled tomatoes from their menus. McDonald’s Corp., Taco Bell Corp., Texas Roadhouse, Applebee’s, El Paso Grill and Bar-B-Que, Outback Steakhouse and Burger King are some of the chains no longer serving tomatoes.
“We pulled tomatoes off our menu when the incident first broke last week,” said Bertha Helton, a manager at El Paso Grill in Sierra Vista. “We will not be serving tomatoes until we hear otherwise.”
Michael Cieszinski, franchise owner of the local Outback Steakhouse, said his restaurant stopped serving tomatoes as a precautionary step when the problem was identified. “This is just an extra precaution we wanted to take,” Cieszinski said. “We’ve not had any problems, but we’re being careful.”
La Casita Mexican Restaurant and Grill, an independently owned establishment in Sierra Vista, has not stopped serving tomatoes. “We get our tomatoes from Shamrock Foods, and they’re insured against all forms of problems like E-coli and salmonella,” said Phil Garcia, the restaurant’s owner. “Just to be sure, I contacted Shamrock personally, and they have assured me there are no problems with their tomatoes.”
While the illnesses have been linked to Roma, red round and plum tomatoes, the source of the outbreak has not been determined. ADHS and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are continuing to investigate the outbreak. Tomatoes that have not been implicated in the outbreak include cherry tomatoes, grape tomatoes, tomatoes sold with the vine still attached and tomatoes grown at home.
Most people infected with salmonella develop diarrhea, fever and abdominal cramps 12 to 72 hours after infection.
“We’re recommending that anyone with symptoms of diarrhea, fever and stomach pain, see a doctor and get tested for salmonella,” Pearl said. All salmonella infections should be reported to state or local health authorities. As salmonella cases are identified, health officials will interview the patient, test the patient and tomato samples and coordinate with federal and state agencies to attempt to determine the source and kind of tomato involved.
TIPS AND PRECAUTIONS
Tomatoes can be eaten safely, just so long as they are thoroughly washed under running water, said Karla Jensen, spokeswoman for Cochise County Health Department. In addition, vegetable washes can be purchased at grocery stores. Health officials are advising against using bruised tomatoes, as a break in the skin could allow salmonella to get trapped in the damaged area. Discard all tomatoes that appear spoiled. Keep raw tomatoes separate from other raw food products such as meats, seafood and produce. All cut, peeled or cooked tomatoes should be refrigerated within two hours. Wash cutting boards, dishes, utensils and counter tops with hot water and soap when switching between different kinds of food.
Frequent handwashing with soap and warm water is another important precaution health officials are recommending.
Until the source is determined, ADHS and CDC are recommending the following precautions:
• Persons with increased risk of severe infection, including infants, elderly persons and those with impaired immune systems, should not eat raw Roma, red round or plum tomatoes other than those sold attached to the vine or grown at home.
• Persons who want to reduce their risk of salmonella infection should avoid consuming raw Roma, red round or plum tomatoes other than those sold attached to the vine or grown at home.
Herald/Review reporter Dana Cole can be reached at 515-4618 or by e-mail at dana.cole@svherald.com.
Tis True wrote on Jun 20, 2008 6:56 AM: