Tomatoes suspected in Salmonella outbreak

Foodborne Disease
Salmonella

Jul 19, 2004 (CIDRAP News) – Salmonella was found in Roma tomatoes from a convenience store chain suspected as the source of an outbreak of salmonellosis in three states, Pennsylvania health officials announced today.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) reported Jul 16 that 57 cases of salmonellosis may be linked with food bought at deli counters in Sheetz Gas Station stores in Pennsylvania, Maryland, and West Virginia between Jul 2 and Jul 9.

Salmonella was found in an unopened bag of Roma tomatoes from a Sheetz Gas Station store in Greencastle, Pa., the Pennsylvania Department of Health said in a news release today.

"The tomatoes were distributed by Coronet Foods of West Virginia," said Pennsylvania Agriculture Secretary Dennis Wolff. "We will continue testing other samples collected to help ensure that the outbreak is not linked to other sources."

Wolff said Sheetz voluntarily pulled "all products in question" from its stores after notification of the potential problem. The Department of Health said it would conduct tests to identify the Salmonella strain.

The FDA said the Sheetz chain has stores in Virginia and eastern Ohio as well as the states mentioned, often along interstate highways.

See also:

Jul 16 FDA news release
http://www.fda.gov/NewsEvents/Newsroom/PressAnnouncements/2004/ucm108325.htm

This week's top reads

  1. Wastewater testing finds H5N1 avian flu in 9 Texas cities

    Wastewater detections began in early March, and so far sequencing hasn't found any mutations linked to human adaptation.

    Lisa Schnirring
    wastewater treatment plant

  2. CDC launches new influenza A wastewater dashboard; states report more H5N1 in dairy herds

    The tracker will help with surveillance, but it doesn't distinguish the influenza A subtype or determine the source of the virus.

    Lisa Schnirring
    wastewater collection

  3. Colorado officials probe source of H5N1 in cows as USDA confirms more infected mammals

    Monitoring of about 70 farm workers found no symptoms, and the state's wastewater sampling pilot has found no flu rise.

    Lisa Schnirring
    vet and dairy herd

  4. USDA experiments suggest H5N1 not viable in properly cooked ground beef

    Federal officials said it's unclear if dairy cow outbreaks are peaking, and they haven't made much headway testing farm workers for avian flu virus.

    Lisa Schnirring
    cooking burgers

  5. Feds announces assistance for US farmers affected by H5N1 avian flu

    The assistance is meant to both improve on-site biosecurity and address financial losses connected to lost milk production in herds affected by H5N1.

    Stephanie Soucheray
    cows

  6. USDA confirms 3 more H5N1 outbreaks in dairy herds

    Of the three newly confirmed outbreaks, two are in Michigan and one is in Idaho.

    Lisa Schnirring

  7. WHO describes MERS cluster in Saudi Arabia

    The index case-patient, who died from his infection, shared a hospital room with the second patient identified.

    Stephanie Soucheray

  8. Study: Before vaccines, 44% of COVID-19 patients in ICU died

    The overall case-hospitalization rate among patients was 5.7%.

    Stephanie Soucheray
    tired doc

  9. Data: Heart-failure patients have 82% better odds of living longer if vaccinated against COVID

    Vaccinated patients also had a 47% lower risk of hospitalization for heart failure and a 13% reduced risk of infection over 6 months.

    Mary Van Beusekom
    COVID vaccination in woman wearing pearls

  10. With 2 CWD-positive deer, California becomes 34th state to report fatal disease

    The disease had probably been in the state for some time, officials say.

    Mary Van Beusekom
    Young deer in spring