Texas Packing Plant in Hot Seat Over Salmonella-Tainted Jalapenos

The rare strain of Salmonella that has made more than 1,000 people sick in the US and Canada has been identified as coming from a small packing plant in South Texas, according to Dr. David Acheson, associate commissioner for foods at the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA).  Acheson says that the jalapeno peppers contaminated with Salmonella saintpaul have been traced to the Agricola Zaragoza Inc., packing plant in McAllen, Texas, just north of the US/Mexico border. Read more

Salmonella Source Still Unknown, Future Outbreaks Predicted

Speaking Tuesday on behalf of the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Julie Zawisza, an agency spokesperson, said the agency is getting closer to locating the source, or sources, of the Salmonella contamination in fresh tomatoes that has spread across the nation since mid-April.  Data from the US Centers for Disease control and Prevention (CDC) identify 167 people stricken by Salmonella poisoning in 17 states.  Many grocery stores, restaurants, and other food establishments have taken many fresh tomatoes off shelves and menus until further notice from federal authorities. Read more

Texas Grocers Pull Tomatoes Linked to Salmonella Outbreak

Two of the largest retail grocery chains in Texas have pulled most fresh tomatoes from their shelves and from their prepared-foods stations in order to reduce the risk of Salmonella infection that has made 21 Texans sick since mid-April.  The HE Butt Grocery Co. (HEB) and Whole Foods Markets have removed Roma and large, round, field-grown tomatoes from their stores in response to a health alert issued Tuesday by the Texas Department of State Health Services. Read more

Big Tomatoes Cause Big Problems in 9 States

Roma and other large-sized tomatoes have been linked to a Salmonella outbreak that spans nine states, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Although the tomatoes in question have not been recalled, the CDC urges consumers to cook them instead of eating them raw. Read more

Gastric Acid May Help Protect Against Foodborne Diseases

New data provided by the American Society for Microbiology in February shows evidence that gastric acid may help prevent foodborne infections from developing in the body. Read more