Published: June 06, 2008 05:45 am      

Attack of tomato-related salmonella won’t hamper the 24th Tomato Fest

By Cristin Ross

cross@jacksonvilleprogress.com

Recent reports of tomato-related salmonella outbreaks aren’t worrying Jacksonville tomato growers.

Jacksonville Chamber of Commerce officals said Thursday, tainted tomatoes won’t hinder the 24th annual Tomato Fest.

According to the Associated Press, outbreaks of salmonella food poisoning linked to uncooked tomatoes has been reported in nine states. U.S. health officials said Tuesday at least 40 illnesses in Texas and New Mexico have been linked to raw large tomatoes — including Roma and red round tomatoes. An estimated 17 people have been hospitalized. None have died, according to the Center for Disease Control.

No farm, distributor or grocery chain has been identified as the main source, according to Casey Barton Behravesh, a CDC epidemiologist working on the investigation.

“The specific type and source of tomatoes is under investigation,” Behravesh said in an article by the Associated Press.

Local tomato grower David Claiborne, who owns The Tomato Shed in Jacksonville, said although the source of the “killer tomatoes” is unknown, he feels pretty comfortable that locally grown tomatoes are bacteria-free.

“Tomatoes from unknown sources are always suspect,” Claiborne said. “But our local tomatoes are a known source. They’re just coming in right now and so they aren’t harmful in any manner.”

Claiborne said any produce farm that uses animal matter as fertilizer runs a risk of contamination.

“Some of the other recent big outbreaks — spinach and lettuce — were tracked down to places that use manure as fertilizer,” he said.

As for the Tomato Fest, Jacksonville Chamber of Commerce officials report the annual festival shouldn’t feel any adverse affects of infected produce.

“We are aware of the salmonella outbreak,” chamber rep Laura Battle said Thursday. “However, we do not believe this will affect the Tomato Festival in any way because the tomatoes that we use are grown in tomato fields and are not processed with chemicals.

“We see it as an opportunity for visitors to come out and purchase tomatoes that are ‘homegrown’ by local farmers in Cherokee County,” she said.

The Associated Press reports another 30 people have become sick with the same Salmonella Saintpaul infection in Arizona, Utah, Colorado, Kansas, Idaho, Illinois and Indiana. CDC investigators are looking into whether tomatoes were culprits there, too.

Salmonella is a bacterial infection that lives in the intestinal tracts of humans and other animals. The bacteria are usually transmitted to humans by eating foods contaminated with animal feces.

Most infected people suffer fever, diarrhea and abdominal cramps starting 12 to 72 hours after infection. The illness tends to last four to seven days.

Many people recover without treatment. However, severe infection and even death is possible. Infants, the elderly and people with weakened immune systems are at greatest risk for severe infections.

In Texas and New Mexico, the patients ranged in age from ages 3 to 82. Of the 40, 38 were interviewed. Most said they ate raw tomatoes from either stores or restaurants before becoming ill between April 23 and May 27.