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DEL.ICIO.USIs local food safer?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
There’s a lot of finger pointing going on now related to the outbreak of Salmonella Saintpaul that’s been linked to round red tomatoes, Romas and plum tomatoes.
Finding an answer seems further away than it did earlier this week, when federal officials seemed hopeful of tracking back the tainted tomatoes to their source quickly. With more than 60 new cases reported in the last four days, the outbreak appears to be continuing. The last reported onset of illness was June 1, which has food safety investigators concerned that contaminated tomatoes may still be in circulation.
The FDA has cleared Georgia tomatoes, saying they’re OK to buy. Very few Georgia tomatoes were being produced when the outbreak started on April 10; the commercial harvest just started in the last couple of weeks. Publix, Kroger and some restaurants, like Willy’s Mexicana Grill, are restocking with tomatoes from Georgia and cleared regions in North Florida.
Still, state farmers are worried that they’ll lose a tomato crop worth nearly $100 million. They’re concerned consumers will stop eating all tomatoes, instead of merely avoiding ones from areas still under FDA investigation. (You can see the most current list of approved areas on the FDA web site, on the Salmonella Saintpaul investigation page. Also, the CDC is updating the outbreak. On both pages, you can find links to more information on the disease, its symptoms, and properly washing and handling produce.)
Georgia Agriculture Commissioner Tommy Irvin issued a press release this week that wrapped up an endorsement of Georgia tomatoes by telling consumers that buying local ensures safer food.
Many who have joined the local food movement hold similar views. If you know the farmer growing your food, surely he’ll take more care than some faceless farm worker hundreds or thousands of miles away, the belief goes.
But is that true?
Although Georgia tomatoes have been cleared in this outbreak, they have been tied to a previous salmonella outbreak in raw tomatoes, according to the FDA. In the last decade, there have been 13 outbreaks of salmonella related to tomatoes, sickening more than 2,000 people. Most happened in tomatoes grown in Florida — local under most definitions — and eastern Virginia. Other outbreaks were traced back to South Carolina, Ohio and California, according to the FDA.
Doug Powell, head of the International Food Safety Network based at Kansas State University, likes to ask foodies in his area if they’ve talked to their farmer about microbial food safety (a fancy way of saying, are you keeping animal feces that could contain bacteria off of your crops?). Most haven’t, and don’t like being asked. (You can read some of his group’s work on the Barfblog).
They assume, as many of us do, that they’re buying pristine lettuce, tomatoes and spinach. They don’t believe someone they’ve met would take shortcuts that might endanger them. They don’t want to ask their farmer; they think it would insult him. And many people believe that by washing produce they can remove contamination, so they just resolve to wash carefully. But that’s not always the case. Bacteria can enter tomatoes through cracks in the skin or through the stem scar, where it can’t be removed by washing. It’s believed that lettuce can also be contaminated through cuts that allow bacteria to be drawn into internal plant tissues.
If you buy directly from farmers, do you ask them how they protect their crops from contamination? If you’re a farmer, how do you address this issue? And do you have enough confidence in federal food safety officials’ reassurances about tomatoes grown in Georgia and elsewhere to buy and eat them? What about in restaurants?
Permalink | Comments (14) | Post your comment | Categories: Local Food
Comments
By Mrs. Butterworth
June 13, 2008 12:02 PM | Link to this
Is local food safer????
Not if it is “cooked” by THOSE PEOPLE, it isn’t!
Better stick to the food north of I-20.
By micha
June 13, 2008 1:18 PM | Link to this
I will stay away from tomatoes as much as I love them until this scare is over. After having food poison 3 times (once hospitalized), I’m not taking any chances.
By milicent tycko
June 13, 2008 2:26 PM | Link to this
We can use canned tomatoes, however, remember years ago when the Chernobyl disaster spread in Europe and some said Italian canned tomatoes could still be infected with air-borne radiation? Maybe we should substitute blueberries? Hey…blueberry pizza….yummy
By Abe
June 13, 2008 3:01 PM | Link to this
It’s funny - just the other day I saw an article about how the FDA is diligently trying to combat sales of that “dangerous” raw milk, which has supposedly sickened 1000 people in the last 17 years. When do they go after the tomato?
By Alice Goldsmith
June 13, 2008 3:39 PM | Link to this
In Maine we have “Backyard Beauties” grown in greenhouses in Madison ,Maine. They are 5 on a vine and delicious.I do believe they are only in the New England area. So we can still have our tomatoes in Maine. Aren’t we the lucky ones.
By BB
June 13, 2008 3:49 PM | Link to this
then stay in Maine- your comment was irrelevant and spoken out of turn like a true Yankee.
Local food is safer to eat. Don’t eat any tomatoes from Maine especially, they contain smugness and probably have an annoying nasal accent.
By Falcons Fan
June 13, 2008 4:02 PM | Link to this
BB
I bet that stands for big butt. Push away from the table once in awhile. I think Maines comments were totally relevent. Growing your own tomatoes year around in a greenhouse is a good thing to do.
Too bad BB is a southern redneck with a confederate flag hanging off the porch. With two pregnant teens living with them , and no obvious source of income. Maine sounds alot better , BB when you put things in perspective.
Love tomato sandwhichs and mayo.
Big Beauty + BB = red and round
By MrLiberty
June 13, 2008 4:28 PM | Link to this
If every other farm wasn’t full of cows, pigs, chickens, goats and the like, we would all safer.
tomatoes do no have salmonella nor e. coli. Only animals do. There’s the root cause of the problem.
By Emily
June 13, 2008 4:51 PM | Link to this
I just ate Roma tomatoes last week and didn’t get sick. They were locally grown. Plus, the tomatoes on the vine and cherry tomatoes weren’t found to have salmonella. I have faith in Georgia farmers and I’m going to buy from the farmers markets. I hope people don’t panic and completely swear off tomatoes for the whole summer. What a shame that would be.
By Anna Burke
June 13, 2008 4:57 PM | Link to this
I try to buy alllll local, and organic. I love the Morningside and Cathedral/Peachtree Farmers Markets and the East Atlanta Village Farmers Market. The produce may be more expensive, but - boy! - is it better. The flavors are so much stronger. AND I don’t have to weed!
By wineking
June 13, 2008 6:31 PM | Link to this
It is not local so just eat it
By catlady
June 17, 2008 5:20 PM | Link to this
If you grow it then you know it!
By milicent tycko
June 18, 2008 8:45 AM | Link to this
I am surprised that so far nobody has followed up on my suggestion to try “blueberry pizzas”. I do have to admit that I was born and raised in New Jersey, over 70 years ago, and remain loyal to the wonderful NJ blueberries! I hope someone will try such yummy pizzas….forget tomatoes.
By Forest
June 20, 2008 6:39 PM | Link to this
my wife&I,her first then now me she just was release from the hospital last sunday now i have same symtoms like broncial runs she was dignose as namonia hot springs arkansas 71901 what are the symtoms