Salsa: The New Suspect In Salmonella Outbreak

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services updated today on its website the info about the developing salmonella outbreak saying that 922 people in 40 states and the District of Columbia have been confirmed to suffer from salmonella Saintpaul with the same genetic fingerprint that was identified in April. Of the registered cases, 210 have contracted the illness since June 1 and at least 110 individuals were hospitalized.

The CDC said on Wednesday that it began directing its attention to other possible paths, including fresh salsa, of the contamination that has determined the current multi-state salmonella epidemic, as reported by USA Today. In the beginning, tomatoes were the prime suspect, but odds to find the source of infected tomatoes have become slim.

Salsa’s main ingredients are tomatoes, but also they frequently include onions, jalapenos, garlic, cilantro, maybe tomatillos and other fresh products.

The Center For Disease Control in collaboration with public health officials in many states, the Indian Health Service, and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) are investigating ingredients commonly used in the production of fresh salsa. The move does not concern canned salsa, which is not considered a suspect in the outbreak, but only the fresh-made salsas prepared at home or local eateries.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration still keeps on its website the advice that Roma and round tomatoes from unknown sources and raw red plum consumption should be avoided. Furthermore, health officials have discovered the first Canadian case linked to the outbreak in the U.S. The Public Health Agency of Canada announced Thursday that an unidentified person from Ontario who lately traveled South has came out positive for Salmonella Saintpaul tests.