With the recent outbreak of salmonella poisoning from tomatoes folks are wandering which tomatoes are safe to eat. Some supermarkets in Chattooga County have signs posted stating where their tomatoes originated. According to the FDA Tennessee, Alabama and Georgia Tomatoes are to be considered safe from the food born illness, however tomatoes are not yet in season in our area. Most tomatoes will not be available from locally grown farms until the end of June. Some Florida Tomatoes are considered safe and some are not. According to the FDA tomatoes from 19 counties in Florida are safe to eat the rest are not. Tomatoes from most areas of Mexico are Not considered safe to eat.
FDA further recommends that retailers, restaurateurs, and food service operators continue to offer cherry tomatoes, grape tomatoes, and tomatoes sold with the vine still attached, from any source.
Here are the areas that are safe according to the FDA:
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Arkansas
- California
- Colorado
- Delaware
- Florida (counties of: Jackson, Gadsden, Leon, Jefferson, Madison, Suwannee, Hamilton, Hillsborough, Polk, Manatee, Hardee, DeSoto, Sarasota, Highlands, Pasco, Sumter, Citrus, Hernando, Charlotte)*
- Georgia
- Hawaii
- Indiana New!
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New Mexico New!
- New York
- Nebraska
- North Carolina
- Ohio
- Pennsylvania
- South Carolina
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Utah
- Vermont
- Virginia
- Washington
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Baja California (Norte) ** New!
- Belgium
- Canada
- Dominican Republic
- Guatemala
- Israel
- Netherlands
- Puerto Rico
* Shipments of tomatoes harvested in these counties are acceptable with a certificate issued by the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.
** Product lots of tomatoes harvested in this State in Mexico are allowed export into the U.S. with a certificate issued by the Secretaria de Fomento Agropecuario del Gobierno del Estado de Baja California (Agency).
FDA recommends that retailers, restaurateurs, and food service operators offer only fresh and fresh cut red Roma, red plum, and round red tomatoes and food products made from these tomatoes for sale or service from the sources listed above.
FDA further recommends that retailers, restaurateurs, and food service operators continue to offer cherry tomatoes, grape tomatoes, and tomatoes sold with the vine still attached, from any source.
Comments