Salmonella From Veggies in 16 States

[marmar]

from AP, via Time:



Salmonella From Veggies in 16 States
Saturday, Jun. 07, 2008 By AP/MATT MYGATT


(ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.) — Salmonella food poisoning first linked to uncooked tomatoes has spread to 16 states, federal health officials said Saturday.

Investigations by the Texas and New Mexico Departments of Health and the U.S. Indian Health Service have tied 56 cases in Texas and 55 in New Mexico to raw, uncooked, tomatoes.

"We're seeing a steady increase," Deborah Busemeyer, New Mexico Department of Health communications director, said Saturday.

An additional 50 people have been sickened by the same Salmonella "Saintpaul" infection in Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Oklahoma, Oregon, Utah, Virginia, Washington and Wisconsin, the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported.

Investigators are trying to determine if raw tomatoes also are responsible for the illnesses in those states, said Arleen Porcell, a CDC spokeswoman.

The source of the tomatoes responsible for the illnesses has not been pinpointed, but health officials in Texas and New Mexico said none of them was grown in those two states.

At least 23 people have been hospitalized, and no deaths have been reported, she said. Patients ranged in age from 1 to 82. ......(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1812670,00.html

[glowing]

1. I'm so glad that all of our tomatoes have been coming out of our garden

for the last 2 months.. and still growing.. thank god for a little hard work.

[unpossibles]

2. like with spinach, once again, the vegetables are painted as the culprit

when in fact...

Salmonella is a bacteria that lives in the intestinal tracts of humans and other animals. It usually is transmitted to humans by eating food contaminated with animal feces.

... the fault probably lies closer to our feedlot livestock practices. Again, just like with the spinach.

[AndyA]

6. And I'm surprised people don't understand this or care, but for christ's sake people

wash your friggin' hands after going to the bathroom.

NO ONE wants to eat your sh!t. Literally.

I realize this isn't the cause of this outbreak, but it is responsible for lots of other illnesses. People are such pigs. Actually, pigs are cleaner.

I am offended when I'm in a public men's room and I see someone come out of one of the stalls and not wash their hands. Then they touch a door handle to open a door that someone else will touch - with clean hands - moments later.

I always use a paper towel, but I'm sorry that's just gross.

[unpossibles]

8. I agree.

I actually asked one guy why he didn't (after I watched him not wash) and he said it was pointless because then he has to touch other things in the restroom. wow.

[blondeatlast]

3. Mr. B@L and I were both sick over the weekend, B@L Jr. hates tomatoes

and won't touch them--he was fine and otherwise ate everything we ate.

Luckily we are both recovering, especially since I'm on insulin, but I have to wonder.

[blm]

7. Sorry to hear....did you know it was the tomatoes right away?

.

[spanone]

4. any profit making industry in the US is free from any governmental regulation since bu$hco won

it would appear

[shraby]

5. I am 65 years old and these latest cases of

salmonella in fresh fruits and vegetables is the first time I've ever seen this happen. I wonder if they are being contaminated deliberately. I came from a family that always grew and canned its own vegetables..more than one generation and never heard of fresh fruits and vegetables getting salmonella in them.

[kestrel91316]

10. More likely it's carelessness when fertilizing with raw manure.

I bet nobody has got this from ORGANIC tomatoes, because you CAN'T use raw manure on them, it must be composted for a time to destroy the pathogens that naturally occur in it.

What is most troubling here is that ALL these cases are with an uncommon strain. There has to be a common source.

One more reason to avoid feedlot beef (feeding preactices make them MUCH more susceptible to bad strains of E coli and also Salmonella)- I can just about guarantee you no grassfed cattle were the source of the bug......

[Fireweed247]

15. "I wonder if they are being contaminated deliberately."

I have been wondering the same thing. Maybe there is some type of Mafia job going on here with certain companies 'either do what we want or we are going to ruin you'. Maybe it's the fertilizer but it has been on beef, tahini, peanut butter...there are many types of food borne illnesses but everything is always salmonella poisoning.

Maybe it is just part of their war OF terror, got to keep up the FEAR FEAR FEAR, now people are afraid to even eat. I think the story of the 10 year child that died of 'dry drowning' is horrible, but they have been bombarding us with it for a week now. Fear is the state they wish to keep us in because people are unable to think clearly or act/react appropriately when they are in this lower state of consciousness.

[Cosmocat]

16. I live in Pa, and a state trooper told me the other day ...

that on route 80, the major interstate running E/W, they REGULARLY pull over trucks going one way that LITERALLY are hauling shiite, then pull them over coming the other way with food ... No rules or regulations to prevent it ...

NOW, some pol REASONABLY might choose to put up some kind of legislation that prevents this and will be hammered as another "regulating" dem who is destroying capitalism ...

[izquierdista]

9. Salmonella is ubiquitous

As are other coliform bacteria. Proper sanitation and handling methods should take care of the problem, but given the trend in government inspections over the last 7 years, those have gotten lax too.

I'm sure something raw is the source of the problem, but nothing that can't be remedied by effective washing or cooking. In the meanwhile, I'll pass on the chopped tomatoes at Taco Bell and have my tomatoes at home, where I can be sure of the preparation before they go into the salad.

[kestrel91316]

11. It's not what we call ubiquitous, per se. It IS due to fecal contamination.

Improperly managed poop from improperly fed and housed and treated factory livestock.

[shraby]

13. My guess is human waste from

septic tanks is being used on the fields. It's been known for a long long time not to put human waste on gardens. That's a real no-no.

[kestrel91316]

14. It's so highly illegal and obviously stupid, and with this so widespread

I just can't see a large-scale plot to do that. They are already legally using contaminated livestock waste on a massive scale.

[shraby]

19. May be illegal and stupid, but when has that

stopped stupid and illegal acts? The waste hauler gets to get rid of his cargo for free or a fee and the grower gets cheap fertilizer.

[izquierdista]

18. Ubiquitous

Assholes are everywhere and everyone has one. Even if livestock poop is properly managed, there is no excuse for fruits and vegetables not to be properly washed.

[kestrel91316]

12. It's not too late to GROW YOUR OWN TOMATOES this summer, people.

They are easy. Any fool can grow a tomato.

http://www.ehow.com/how_535_grow-tomatoes.html

Grow lots for your own family (including plenty to make sauce etc from), extra for neighbors and friends who have no yard to grow in, and extra for the local food bank or women's shelter.

Oh, and preserve the excess. DO NOT waste precious food in these days.

http://www.ehow.com/how_2055143_how-preserve-tomatoes.html

[Fireweed247]

17. There's nothing like home grown tomatoes

but by next week there will be salmonella in the breakfast cereal or the canola oil. It keeps popping up in odd products.