Government Inspectors: Avoid Fresh Jalapenos
The FDA says salmonella bacteria found on a Mexican-grown jalapeno pepper is an important breakthrough in the nationwide outbreak, which has caused 1,200 people to fall ill.
Government inspectors issued a strong warning for consumers to avoid fresh jalapenos or Serrano peppers.
The discovery does not solve the entire salmonella mystery, because authorities are still trying to find where the pepper became tainted. Investigators are looking at a farm in Mexico, a plant in McAllen Texas, or the packinghouse.
Government inspectors say the tainted pepper discovery has not cleared the first prime suspect: tomatoes, which were sold earlier in the spring.
Dr. David Acheson, the Food and Drug Administration’s food safety chief said, "This genetic match is a very important break in the case".
The U.S. government is increasing its earlier precaution against hot peppers to a full-blown warning. They advise no one should eat fresh jalapenos – or products such as fresh salsa made from them – until investigators can find where the tainted ones were sold.
The FDA says tomatoes are now considered safe to eat. The last reported case of Salmonella stpaul was on July 4, but the outbreak is considered to be ongoing.
"The tomato cases are not exonerated," Acheson added.
Dr. Robert Tauxe of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said the outbreak of the salmonella strain has now made 1,251 people sick and put 229 into hospitals.
The Texas plant called, Agricola Zaragoza, has stopped sales of fresh jalapenos and recalled those shipped since June 30. The shipments were targeted at Georgia and Texas.Â
FDA said so far, no other produce in the plant has tested positive for salmonella.
The section of the warehouse that stores Agricola Zaragoza’s produce warehouse stores tomatoes, onions, and tomatillos alongside jalapenos. Which could mean the small vendor may have handled both major produce suspects in the salmonella scare.
Agricola Zaragoza-located near the Mexico border- is a small operation. It’s not known if inspectors have visited the company’s neighboring vendors inside the huge warehouse that stores fruits and vegetables.
"I recognize there is a need to narrow this as soon as possible," Achesons said.
Many parts of the country are starting prime hot pepper season.
A person who answered the phone at Agricola Zaragoza declined comment.
The pepper industry is bracing for huge losses, and is pushing the FDA to quickly clear jalapenos grown in certain areas, like it did with tomatoes.
John McClung, president of the Texas Produce Association said, "That is a very broad brush to tar the industry with."
Tomato producers estimate the salmonella scare has cost the industry $250 million.
Health officials contend they had strong evidence linking raw tomatoes to the salmonella outbreak in April and May. They say the jalapeno connection appeared only in June.
"There may be more than one vehicle here," Dr. Tauxe.
Caroline Smith DeWaal of the consumer advocacy Center for Science in the Public Interest said the tainted pepper, "is an important clue but the investigation is far from complete". She said the FDA must now follow a maze of channels to determine where the contamination occurred.
Health officials appeared cautiously excited at finally finding a strong clue, but lawmakers said the investigation is simply taking too long.
U.S. Senator Tom Harkin, an Iowa Democrat who chairs the Senate Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry Committee, said the FDA needs better techniques for tracing food to its source.
Harkin said in a statement, "This is far too long for an outbreak to spread unresolved and it is unacceptable for public health, farmers and the food and produce industry."
"The fact that it has taken over 14 weeks to identify the source of the contamination is simply unacceptable," said Rep. Diana DeGette, D-Colo., who is pushing for stronger requirements to help trace tainted produce.
"Much like (the) tomato industry, the result is a blanket warning that will decimate the entire industry and further depress consumer confidence when only a tiny fraction of peppers may be contaminated."
Tauxe said the outbreak isn’t over yet. But the CDC said last week it seemed to be slowing down.
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