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Supermarkets, Restaurants Pull Tomatoes on Salmonella Fears
By ANDREW EDWARDS and ANA CAMPOY
June 6, 2008 7:47 p.m.

Restaurants and supermarkets across Texas and New Mexico are removing certain types of fresh tomatoes from their menus and shelves amid a salmonella outbreak.

Earlier this week the Food and Drug Administration advised consumers in those states to stay away from raw red plum, round or Roma tomatoes, which may be linked to the outbreak. On Thursday, the New Mexico Environment Department asked restaurants, supermarkets and other food establishments to stop selling those types of tomatoes.

Albertson's LLC, a private supermarket operator, said it has removed round and Roma tomatoes from its shelves in New Mexico, limiting sales to organic, hothouse and cherry tomatoes.

Whole Foods Market Inc. pulled Roma and fresh field-grown red round slicer tomatoes Thursday, only to put nearly all of them back Friday, after determining most were from regions unaffected by the outbreak.

"We know where all of our tomatoes are from," said Whole Foods spokeswoman Libba Letton She said some stores had pulled their tomatoes and were looking for other sources, but couldn't say where or how many.

At Dos Hermanos, a chain of restaurants in Albuquerque, N.M., the kitchen is sending out taco and enchilada plates without the traditional tomato garnish. Customers are still getting their salsa, but from canned tomatoes, said Juan Flores, a chain employee.

Salmonella can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections particularly in young children, frail or elderly people, and those with weakened immune systems. Healthy persons often experience fever, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain. In rare circumstances, the organism can get into the bloodstream and produce more severe illnesses.

The FDA has confirmed 57 cases of tomato-related salmonella in New Mexico and Texas since mid-April, resulting in 17 hospitalizations. No deaths have been reported. An additional 30 cases are being investigated for a tomato link. The agency said the tomatoes may have come from one region, similar to the spinach E. coli outbreak in the fall of 2006.

The New Mexico Department of Health said it is still interviewing sick patients and testing tomatoes as part of its investigation into the outbreak.