Salmonella Kills Florida tomato industry
Pastor Dale Morgan
*Salmonella Kills Florida tomato industry *
From correspondents in Miami
June 11, 2008 09:38am
Article from: AAP
THE tomato industry in Florida has collapsed and $US40 million ($42m)
worth of tomatoes will rot unless the source of a Salmonella outbreak
can be quickly traced, an industry official says.
There have been 145 reported cases, including at least 23
hospitalisations, related to the salmonella outbreak since mid-April.
The infections were caused by Salmonella Saintpaul, an uncommon type of
the bacteria.
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on Saturday warned US
consumers that the salmonella outbreak was linked to eating certain raw
red plum, red Roma, and red round tomatoes, and products containing
those tomatoes.
Several major restaurant and grocery chains have stopped selling those
varieties.
Florida is the largest tomato-producing state, with a crop valued at up
tp $US700m annually, said Reggie Brown, executive vice president of the
Florida Tomato Growers Exchange.
"We probably have $US40m worth of product we can't sell. We've had to
stop packing, stop picking," Mr Brown said.
"It fundamentally shut down the industry. The stuff that should have
been harvested over the weekend won't survive more than another day or so.
"The stuff we have in storage is getting riper every minute and at some
point it will have to be disposed of."
The FDA has said that it is safe to eat cherry tomatoes, grape tomatoes
and tomatoes sold with the vine still attached.
Those varieties accounted for only a tiny portion of the industry, Mr
Brown said.
The FDA has said it does not know where the contaminated tomatoes
originated.
The infections have struck most often in New Mexico and Texas.
"We're very interested in seeing the FDA bring resolution to this and
also would like to express concern for those who've fallen ill," Mr
Brown said.
- With Reuters