Tomatoes -- Eat Local, Buy Local, Grow Your Own

As a follow-up to the tomato announcement of last week. The Progressive Grocer reports:

Salmonella Tomato Outbreak Spread to 16 States

Latest word from FDA is that retailers should only sell cherry tomatoes, grape tomatoes, and tomatoes sold with the vine, no matter the source.

The government agency said consumers should not eat raw red Roma, raw red plum, raw red round tomatoes, or products that contain these types of raw red tomatoes unless they can be sure the tomatoes are from Arkansas, California, Georgia, Hawaii, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Belgium, Canada, Dominican Republic, Guatemala, Israel, Netherlands, or Puerto Rico.

FDA told consumers to contact the store where they bought the tomatoes to confirm the products’ origin. “Consumers should continue to eat cherry tomatoes, grape tomatoes, and tomatoes sold with the vine still attached, or tomatoes grown at home,” FDA said. FDA said its recommendation do not apply to cherry, grape, and tomatoes sold with the vine still attached, from any source.

FDA recommends that retailers, restaurateurs, and food service operators not offer for sale and service raw red Roma, raw red plum, and raw red round tomatoes unless they are from the sources listed above. Cherry tomatoes, grape tomatoes, and tomatoes sold with the vine still attached, may continue to be offered from any source.

Since mid April, there have been 145 reported cases of salmonellosis caused by Salmonella Saintpaul nationwide, including at least 23 hospitalizations. States reporting illnesses linked to the outbreak include: Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Oregon, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington, and Wisconsin. Salmonella Saintpaul is an uncommon type of Salmonella. (End of their report.)

This is just another reason to know where you food comes from and know the people who are growing it. Or grow your own.

Everyone needs to learn how to grow at least one plant. And if it could only be one, then a tomato is a great start. Especially in light of this recent disturbing news.