Tomatoes Get An All-Clear; Jalapeño, Serrano Peppers Still Under Scrutiny

After over a six-week explicit warning against eating certain varieties of tomatoes, the Food and Drug Administration on Thursday eased warnings stating that the fruit is once again safe to eat. However, officials cautioned that the source of the largest Salmonella outbreak – which was at the outset alleged to be linked to tomatoes – still remains unidentified.

Meanwhile, the latest warnings issued against eating raw jalapeño and serrano peppers continue to remain.

"Tomatoes on the market currently are safe to consume," Dr. David Acheson, the FDA's associate commissioner for foods announced in a press conference.

The salmonella outbreak that triggered in mid-April has sickened over 1200 people in 42 states and the District of Columbia. About 224 victims have been hospitalized till date, official stats report.

Tomatoes alleged to be responsible for the initial illnesses in an outbreak of salmonella, were tested for over more than a month to track the origin of contamination - the Salmonella Saintpaul strain.

"We found no evidence of Salmonella Saintpaul, the outbreak strain," in any of the tomatoes that have been tested, said Dr. David Acheson, the agency’s associate commissioner for foods.

Meanwhile, the tomato industry is now demanding compensation to make-up for their heavy losses that resulted from mistaken speculation.

"All of the tomato farmers may suffer long-term from the stigma that was attached," said Tom Nassif, president of the Western Growers Association, which has members in Arizona and California.

"I still think it's very possible that tomatoes were never involved," he said.

About Salmonella

Often tainting food and water through fecal route, Salmonella is a rod-shaped Gram-negative entero-bacterium that lives in the intestinal tract of animals.

The bacterial infection is typically characterized with conditions like bloody diarrhea, nausea, vomiting and abdominal paindefine

While in most cases the infection settles in about four to seven days without any medical treatment, Salmonella infection can prove serious and occasionally fatal for young children, weak or aged people, and those with weakened immune systems.