Q: How do I know where a tomato is grown?

A: Ask the retailer or check for a sticker that may list the state or country of origin.

Q: How could salmonella contaminate tomatoes?

A: Salmonella bacteria, linked to human and animal feces, can contaminate water, soil and the surface of tomatoes. Bacterial contamination could occur anywhere along the food chain, from growing fields with inadequate sanitary facilities or dirty irrigation water, to cross-contamination with infected poultry on a home or restaurant cutting board.

Consumers should wash the surface of fruits and vegetables before eating to reduce the risk of illness. However, some produce, including tomatoes and lettuce, can draw bacteria into interior tissue if they are cut or damaged. If that happens, washing won't remove the contamination.

Q: Are tomatoes bought at farmers markets safe?

A: Not necessarily. Ask where the tomatoes came from. Some markets allow only local growers. Others allow retailers who buy products at wholesale markets like the Atlanta State Farmers Market in Forest Park and resell it. It's possible some sellers could have tomatoes from areas the FDA has not cleared.

Q: What regions have been cleared?

A: Alabama, Arkansas, California, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Minnesota, Mississippi, New York, Nebraska, North Carolina. Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, West Virginia, Belgium, Canada, Dominican Republic, Guatemala, Israel, the Netherlands, Puerto Rico.

Q: What is being done to improve the safety of tomatoes?

A: In the past decade, a dozen large food-borne illness outbreaks have been linked to fresh or fresh-cut tomatoes. The FDA started a safety initiative last year and is focusing on Florida and Virginia, the two states most often linked to the outbreaks. The United Fresh Produce Association, a major industry trade group, is updating its tomato safety guidelines to cover not only proper handling on the farm, but also along the supply chain to retailers and restaurants.

On Monday, the FDA requested $275 million in additional funds for food safety operations, with some of it to go toward increased inspections of foreign food and medical products.