THURSDAY JUNE 11, 2008 (foodconsumer.org) -- The Food and Drug Administration on June 11 updated consumer and retailer information on its website regarding the tomato-induced Salmonella outbreak.

As of June 11, confirmed cases of Salmonella have been reported in Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Oregon, Michigan, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington, and Wisconsin.

Since mid April, there have been 167 reported cases of salmonella nationwide caused by Salmonella Saintpaul.   At least 23 hospitalizations have been reported. But no deaths were reported.

Salmonella, a type of pathogenic bacteria, causes fever, diarrhea (which may be bloody), nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain. The bacterium can enter the bloodstream and cause life-threatening condition, but this rarely happens. Salmonella may be more serious or fatal in young children, frail or elderly people, and people with weakened immune systems.

Salmonella harbor in the intestinal tracts of some animals, and can survive in soil and water for months. Once Salmonella has contaminated something, it can spread from surface to surface.  A tomato tainted with Salmonella can spread the bacterium to the hands of a person who cuts the tomato and to the cutting board on which the tomato is sliced, for instance.

At this time, the source of tainted tomatoes remains unknown.   But the FDA advises that to minimize Salmonella risk, consumers should avoid eating or handling raw red plum, raw red Roma, and raw red round tomatoes unless they are from regions that have been ruled out as the sources of the contamination.

The regions that are cognized as safe sources include Alabama, Arkansas, California, Colorado , Delaware,Florida (counties of: Jackson, Gadsden, Leon, Jefferson, Madison, Suwannee, Hamilton, Hillsborough, Polk, Manatee, Hardee, DeSoto, Sarasota, Highlands, Pasco, Sumter, Citrus, Hernando, Charlotte), Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Mississippi, New Jersey, New York, Nebraska, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Belgium, Canada, Dominican Republic, Guatemala, Israel, Netherlands, and Puerto Rico.

Tomatoes from these regions are not implicated in the outbreak, and they are safe to eat.   In addition, raw cherry tomatoes, grape tomatoes, and tomatoes with the vine still attached have not been linked to the outbreak in any region, and consumers may continue to buy and eat them. Tomatoes grown at home also are not linked to this Salmonella outbreak.

The FDA suggests that consumers should not try to wash raw red plum, red Roma, or raw red round tomatoes that are implicated in the outbreak because there is evidence showing washing can effectively eliminate the bacteria.   Studies showed that these bacteria can live insides tomatoes.

Also the agency says that consumers should not attempt to cook the tomatoes involved in this outbreak to get rid of Salmonella.  Just throw them away.   Handling tomatoes contaminated with Salmonella can potentially spread the bacterium to anything the handler touches, including hands, kitchen utensils, cutting boards, sinks, and other foods.

Consumers may continue using commercially canned red plum, red Roma, and red round tomatoes and canned or bottled foods containing these tomatoes products if they are processed commercially. A few examples are the canned tomatoes and canned or bottled tomato juice and spaghetti sauce found in grocery stores.

The FDA also reminds consumers that tomatoes from farmers' market are not necessarily safe because they are not necessarily from local farms.   They may come from the source that causes the salmonella outbreak.