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Bad Tomato, Good Tomato (Rexburg Standard Journal) |
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The Hydroponic Garden--A Guide to Hydroponics
Hydroponics allows us to grow the plants, fruits and vegetables of our choice--even in limited space--without using soil. It's an amazing way to produce perfect specimens and offers TONS of advantages that traditional gardening can't come close to touching!
Author: Kyra Davis (kdavis@uvsj.com)
June 11, 2008
REXBURG – Consumers are being warned against buying raw tomatoes as health officials believe that is where recent cases of salmonella originated.
There have been 167 cases of salmonella nationwide, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Two of them were in western Idaho.
After interviewing people who have fallen ill with salmonella, officials think the salmonella serotype, or strain, Saintpaul is being carried by large tomatoes. Those who were interviewed fell ill between mid-April to late May.
Eastern Idaho Public Health District's Public Information Officer Geri Rackow said the two Idaho cases did not have the Saintpaul serotype, so the cases in Idaho might be unrelated to tomatoes.
But Rexburg grocers are still taking precautions.
Both Broulim's and Albertsons have pulled the possible tomato culprits from shelves.
Kevin Stevens, Albertsons store director, said tomatoes on the vine or with stems remain for sale.
"We pulled the others yesterday (Monday) when we were notified," he said.
Broulim's manager Dennis Jordan said that after receiving a fax Monday, he too had the tomatoes pulled.
"But our warehouse, Associated Foods, didn't have any of the affected tomatoes. We just pulled them to ease the public's concern," he said.
Broulim's Produce Manager Rich Ballard said that hydroponic tomatoes, which are grown in a greenhouse in a controlled environment, and vine tomatoes are still safe to eat.
Jordan said the store received a large shipment of hydroponic tomatoes just before the salmonella scare, so there are plenty of tomatoes for people to buy.
Both stores are waiting for the go ahead by the FDA to put the Roma and large red tomatoes back on the shelves or bins.
According to the CDC, most people infected with salmonella develop diarrhea, fever, and abdominal cramping 12 to 72 hours after infection.
The illness usually lasts 4 to 7 days, and most people recover without treatment. In some cases though, severe infection can lead to death.
The CDC reports that of the 145 cases, there were no deaths, but there were 23 people hospitalized.
For more information on salmonella visit the CDC's Web site, www.cdc.gov.
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