Strain of Salmonella linked to outbreak found in second type of pepper

An expanded warning on peppers—this time including serranos from Mexico—has been issued by the Food and Drug Administration after it was discovered that both a sample of a pepper and a sample of irrigation water collected on a farm in the state of Nuevo Leon, Mexico contain Salmonella Saintpaul with the same genetic fingerprint as the bacteria that is causing an outbreak that has sickened more than 1,300 people across the country.

As a result, until further notice, the FDA is advising consumers to avoid both raw serrano peppers and raw jalapeño peppers if they were grown, harvested or packed in Mexico, as well as any foods that contain them. Serranos and jalapeños grown in the U.S. are not connected to the outbreak, nor are  commercially canned, pickled or cooked jalapeno peppers.

The latest finding comes after months of tracking the source of the outbreak that was originally thought to have been caused by tomatoes. While tomatoes have not been cleared as a cause, the FDA has indicated that tomatoes now on the market are safe to eat. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says on its Web site that, although it's unusual, it appears likely that "more than one food vehicle is involved in this outbreak."

Last week we reported that Salmonella Saintpaul had been traced back to a jalapeño pepper that had been provided by someone who was ill. That discovery was the first time the strain of Salmonella Saintpaul had been linked to a piece of produce and caused the investigators to turn to peppers grown in Mexico.

The investigation continues and the FDA is working with state regulatory agencies and food industry groups representing restaurants, grocery stores and wholesalers to make sure that their new advisory is clearly understood.

We'll continue to report on developments in the case and both the FDA and the CDC are issuing daily updates on their Web sites. This graphic shows how the FDA has been tracking the suspected food items.

Comments

[dee]

The body waste that the slaughterhouse and animals factories produce (contribute to 37% of our global warming problems) all end up washing down into farm fields. In fact, these bacteria end up being picked up by the plants and so in fact are internal, they cannot be washed out by any amounts of bleach. Notice how government is not telling us about this. They fear, the public will wise up to the dispicable practice of slaughterhouses, and their money coffers may suffer. There's big and powerful money in the meat/dairy industries. That's what its all about in the end. money and greed.

[Larry Gross]

If CU really wants to help consumers, they could advice us WHY the best way to protect ourselves is NOT to wash off fruit and vegetables but instead not to buy them if they come from identified sources of contamination.

It makes absolutely no sense to tell consumers to try to not buy from sources where contamination has been observed instead of telling us why - simple bleach water treatment of these vegetables at various levels in the supply chain is not adequate for killing the salmonella to start with.

..unless the Salmonella is not on the outside of the vegetables and thus it's not possible to wash it off.

.. Consumers need to know this if this is the case.

otherwise.. it's very hard to believe that packers, distributors, retail sellers and consumers cannot protect themselves by simply insuring that the vegetables are cleaned before eating.

.. the current approach to this problem is not explaining the problem to consumers - and in the process is unfairly damaging food supplies and, in general, encouraging the public to NOT consume particular vegetables - when only a tiny percentage is involved at best.

Consumers needs to step up to the plate and do for Consumers - what the FDA apparently is incapable of.

[LarryG]

One thing that puzzles me - and maybe you've already covered this but if peppers, tomatos, etc are harvested and put into vats of bleach water - then why do we have this problem?

and I would presume that any American buyer of such produce - WOULD douse them with bleach water anyhow.

something does not seem right... because most consumers themselves probably rinse such vegetables... anyhow..

My wife sez that the contamination is NOT on the inside of the vegetables - unless they were put in a vat of water without bleach and of sufficient different temperature than contaminated water was drawn into the stem part or other places were the surface was not intact.

How can we go for decades.. without a major outbreak.. and then all of a sudden have this?