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Jun 20, 2008 4:07 pm US/Eastern
FDA Heads To Fla. & Mexico In Salmonella Probe
552 Cases Have Been Reported So Far
TALLAHASSEE (CBS4) ―
FDA investigators are heading to Florida and Mexico as part of their salmonella probe involving tainted tomatoes, which has so far reached 552 cases.
Last week the Food And Drug Administration announced that the state had experienced illnesses related to the outbreak of salmonella in certain tomatoes. A Southwest Florida man is the state's first victim tied to raw tomatoes, according to state health dept. officials who said an unidentified man got sick after eating tomatoes during a visit to New York.
Like many packaging plants across the country, DiMare of South Florida had its produce tested and there is no salmonella; nevertheless, the scare has had a severe economic impact on companies.
Charles LaPradd, Miami-Dade agricultural manager, said to CBS4 Reporter Tiffani Helberg that "Our consumers should look for Florida tomatoes."
Certain tomatoes are considered safe no matter where they are grown. That includes cherry tomatoes, grape tomatoes, tomatoes on the vine and homegrown tomatoes.
Nevertheless, last week parts of Florida—including South Florida— Georgia, Missouri, New York, Tennessee and Vermont were put on alert by the Food and Drug Administration, bringing the number of affected states to 23.
In Florida, tomatoes from Jackson, Gadsden, Leon, Jefferson, Madison, Suwannee, Hamilton, Hillsborough, Polk, Manatee, Hardee, DeSoto, Sarasota, Highlands, Pasco, Sumter, Citrus, Hernando or Charlotte counties are safe if they come with a certificate from the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.
Government officials said it's possible that food poisoning contributed to the death of a cancer patient in Texas, involving salmonella.
The Food and Drug Administration still hasn't pinpointed the source of the outbreak. And with the latest known illness striking on June 1, officials also aren't sure if all the tainted tomatoes are off the market.
Consumers who do want to eat fresh tomatoes should cook them to kill any bacteria before consuming them.
Click here for some frequently asked questions.
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