Salmonella Tomato Scare Slams Florida

Salmonella Tomato Scare Slams Florida Tomato Crops At the peak of the shipping season, Florida tomato growers' products' lie at a standstill, packing houses sit quite and empty, and fieldworkers have disappeared further north to pick cotton, even though the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has cleared Florida tomatoes as safe to eat after a statewide inspection. It could be a major blow to the $50 million Florida tomato industry.

Worried about consumer safety, Florida tomatoes growers pulled their products after news of a nationwide salmonella outbreak hit the news on Monday. It took over 24 hours for the FDA to clear Florida tomatoes from any blame in the outbreak, but consumers aren't convinced, and the tomatoes, ready and waiting for shipping, instead remain rotting in packing houses all around the state.

Growers want the public to know their products are safe, but stores and restaurants, following public concern, are largely keeping tomatoes off their menus, leaving the growers frustrated and concerned. Doug Archer, Associate Dean for the Institute of Food and Agricultural Science at the University of Florida in Gainesville said, "If consumers stop buying tomatoes, the state's tomato industry could lose more than $40 million." Word of the salmonella outbreak first broke on June 3 from the FDA, and cases quickly multiplied as news of the outbreak spread.

The FDA determined raw red plum, Roma, or red tomatoes were not safe to eat, but restaurants and supermarkets voluntarily pulled all raw tomatoes from the shelves as consumers reacted to the outbreak. The salmonella strain traced to the tomatoes is Saintpaul, a rare form of the bacterial disease. Since April 167 cases of salmonella have been reported in 17 states, with the most cases in New Mexico and Texas.

There has been at least one death in Texas that may have been related to the disease, although officials are not officially saying the death was salmonella related. The symptoms of salmonella include fever, diarrhea, and abdominal cramps that appear about 12 to 72 hours after infection. The illness can last 4 to 7 days, and most people recover without treatment. It is most dangerous for the elderly, infants, and in people with certain other health disorders.

After the FDA announced the outbreak, large restaurant chains like McDonald's, Taco Bell, Burger King and many others immediately pulled all their raw tomatoes from their menus, and began selling items without tomatoes, including items made with tomatoes, such as salsa. Supermarkets across the country pulled the items, as well, even natural food markets like Whole Foods, until the FDA can pinpoint the source of the outbreak. Now, consumers are avoiding tomatoes, even though the FDA has certified Florida tomatoes are risk free.

The outbreak has already caused a major blow to the Florida tomato industry, and growers and packers are angry that it.