People warned to 'Hold the tomatoes, please!'

Recently, several grocery stores and fast food restaurants have pulled tomatoes from their shelves as a result of a mysterious salmonella outbreak that has spread to at least sixteen states.

Burger King, Subway, and McDonald’s have announced their plans to pull tomatoes from their restaurants, as the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has reported nearly 150 cases nationwide, leaving 23 people in the hospital. No deaths have been reported thus far.

This uncommon strain of salmonella, called Salmonella Saintpaul, is the strain that has been named as the culprit. The specific type and source of tomatoes is under investigation, however, data suggests that large tomatoes, namely Roma and round red, are the source.

Symptoms of salmonella begin anywhere from six to 72 hours after becoming infected with the bacteria. These include headache, abdominal pain, diarrhea, nausea, fever, and dehydration, especially in babies and older adults. You should call your doctor if you have diarrhea, stomach cramps, fever or a headache that last longer than a few days. Also, if you have dry mouth, dry, wrinkled skin, dark urine, or less urine than usual, as these are signs of dehydration.

Seek immediate care if you can’t drink fluids or keep food down, if you have a high temperature, yellow skin or yellowing eyes, cough up blood, or diarrhea that worsens.

The FDA advises consumers to follow these instructions when using tomatoes. 1. Refrigerate within 2 hours or discard cut, peeled, or cooked tomatoes. 2. Avoid purchasing bruised or damaged tomatoes and discard any that seem spoiled 3. Thoroughly wash all tomatoes under running water. 4. Keep tomatoes that will be consumed raw separate from raw meats, seafood, or produce items 5. Wash cutting boards, dishes, utensils, and counter tops with hot water and soap when switching between types of food products.