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FDA Questioning Where the Salmonella Came From
Published Thursday, July 03, 2008 at 04:51 AM
Four weeks ago an outbreak of salmonella poisoning in 36 states and the District of Columbia resulted in 869 people getting ill. Federal officials pointed to the tomato as being the source. Specifically Red Plum, Roma and Red Round tomatoes. They were pulled from store shelves and out of “quarter pounders” across the land. But did that action go far enough. Maybe not.

After pouring over records, collected hundreds of samples and interviewed dozens of patients investigators are now saying other items may have added to the problem. According to David Acheson with the Food and Drug Administration, - the tomato trail is still hot. But - other items are getting hotter. Acheson wouldn't identify what other fruits and vegetables investigators are investigating.

Despite a bigger focus on other fruits and vegetables, FDA officials said they are not changing their original warning that consumers avoid red plum, Roma and red round tomatoes not on the vine that were grown outside certain areas. The admission has angered tomato growers in Florida and the restaurant industry, which said they have racked up multimillion-dollar losses. Reggie Brown of the Florida Tomato Growers Exchange said – this is crazy, absolutely crazy.

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