Due to the presence of salmonella on some tomatoes, Delaware’s Division of Public Health is advising consumers, retailers and food-service operators to avoid consuming, selling or serving several varieties of raw tomatoes. Federal officials have linked raw red Roma, raw red plum, raw red round tomatoes, or products that contain these types of raw red tomatoes, with recent illnesses from the Saintpaul strain of salmonella.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is reporting 145 cases of salmonellosis caused by the Saintpaul strain since mid-April. At least 23 people have been hospitalized. No cases have been identified in Delaware. States reporting illnesses linked to this outbreak include: Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Oregon, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington and Wisconsin.
No tomatoes grown in Delaware have been linked to recent cases of salmonellosis. According to the Delaware Department of Agriculture’s availability chart for fresh produce (dda.delaware.gov/fmd/dates.shtml), the Delaware tomato season has just begun. The source of the tomatoes associated with the outbreak has not yet been determined. Consumers may continue to eat cherry tomatoes, grape tomatoes, tomatoes sold with the vine still attached, or tomatoes grown at home.
Delaware consumers who have recently eaten raw tomatoes or foods containing raw tomatoes and are experiencing any of the following symptoms should contact their health care provider. These include fever, diarrhea (which may be bloody), nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain occurring 12-72 hours after exposure. The illness usually lasts four to seven days.
Although most people recover without treatment, salmonella can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and those with weakened immune systems. In rare circumstances, the organism can get into the bloodstream and produce more severe illnesses.
Some sources of tomatoes are not associated with this outbreak. Tomatoes from Arkansas, California, Georgia, Hawaii, North Carolina, Puerto Rico, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Belgium, Canada, the Dominican Republic, Guatemala, Israel, the Netherlands remain safe for consumers to eat. If unsure of where tomatoes are grown or harvested, consumers are being encouraged to contact the store where the tomatoes were purchased. Further information on this outbreak can be found online at www.cdc.gov/salmonella/saintpaul/.