Tainted Tomatoes Sicken Six More in New York City
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City health officials have confirmed six new cases of salmonella among individuals who ate tainted tomatoes, bringing the total to seven cases of salmonella-related illness in New York City.
The cases, which have been linked to certain types of raw tomatoes, are part of a nationwide outbreak that began in mid-April. More than 383 people in America have become ill after eating tomatoes contaminated with Salmonella Saintpaul, an uncommon form of the bacteria. At least 43 individuals have been hospitalized.
RELATED: The FDA’s Advisory on Tomatoes.
In New York City, health officials said the most recent diagnosis of salmonella was at the beginning of the month. Officials declined to provide further information on the individuals who became infected and they said they are working with federal investigators to determine the source of the tainted tomatoes.
Since the outbreak began, the Food and Drug Administration has advised consumers to avoid certain raw tomatoes, including red plum, red Roma, and red round tomatoes. Cherry tomatoes, grape tomatoes, and tomatoes sold with the vine still attached are safe to eat.
“Most tomatoes are safe right now,” a medical epidemiologist at the city’s Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, Dr. Sharon Balter, said. She said healthy individuals should not be concerned, but those in high-risk groups — including young babies, older individuals, and those with other illnesses — should be prudent about what they eat.
Salmonella is the most frequently reported cause of food-borne illness, with about 2 million infections occurring a year. There are about 2,000 serotypes of salmonella bacteria, which can cause mild to severe gastrointestinal illness.
According to the chairman of the department of medicine at New York University Langone Medical Center, Dr. Martin Blaser, the number of food-related outbreaks has increased in recent years, largely because of industrialization. “I think if I were a New Yorker now, which I am, and I liked tomatoes, which I do, I’d wash my tomatoes very carefully,” Dr. Blaser, a former salmonella surveillance officer at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said.
