Feature Articles: Food, Fitness and Eating Well
Don’t Get Sick—Get Smart: Understanding and Preventing Salmonella
Janet Hackert, Regional Nutrition and Health Education Specialist
Salmonella in raw eggs is not unusual, but salmonella in tomatoes? Don’t get sick, get smart! Understanding the sources and spread of food-borne illness is a good first step to preventing it.
Salmonella is a bacteria that causes diarrhea, fever and
abdominal cramps. According to the Partnership for Food
Safety Education, it’s the most common cause of diarrhea in
the United States, causing 1.4 million cases each year.
Salmonella’s presence in raw eggs is well known. It is why
the only safe way to eat eggs is cooked or pasteurized.
Fresh fruits and vegetables can sometimes also be
contaminated by salmonella bacteria in contaminated human
and animal feces. If infected produce handlers have not
washed their hands properly after using the restroom and
before touching the fruit or vegetables, those bacteria can
spread to the produce. And so we had the unsafe tomatoes.
When a food, like a tomato, is contaminated with salmonella,
those bacteria can enter the food. Washing it does not make
it safe. Bacteria are microscopic. Susan Seefeld, Public
Affairs Technician with the Food and Drug Administration
says, “Salmonella bacteria can enter through the open area
where the stem has been removed. They can also enter through
any cut or puncture in the tomato’s thin skin, even unseen
microscopic ones.” So the safe thing to do is to follow that
basic food safety rule: When in doubt, throw it out.
The tomato ‘scare’ of 2008 is winding down, but what happens
next time? Symptoms from eating a food contaminated with
salmonella usually show themselves 12 to 72 hours after
infection. The illness lasts 4-7 days. Anyone experiencing
these symptoms should contact their physician, to be
confirmed by medical test. The local health department
should also be notified. If there is a problem with
salmonella, or any other food-borne illness, authorities
will warn the public to avoid the source. In the meantime,
wash hands appropriately and cook foods well.
Last update: Tuesday, May 05, 2009
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