FDA's Advice to retailers

From the FDA, sliding across the inbox at 11:05 pm last night. So far, all of Mexico's growing regions are conspicuous by their absence - Florida is also not on the list. One hopes the FDA can drill down to the actual packing house or farm to spare producers who have not had any involvement with the tainted tomatoes....




FDA recently posted advice for retailers, restaurateurs, and food service operators about sources of tomatoes not related to the recent salmonellosis outbreak. The information can be found at www.fda.gov/oc/opacom/hottopics/tomatoes.html#retailers.

Advice for Retailers, Restaurateurs and Food Service Operators
FDA traceback review, in addition to production and distribution pattern information, has indicated that tomatoes from the following sources are not associated with the outbreak:

California
Georgia
North Carolina
South Carolina
Texas
Belgium
Canada
Dominican Republic
Guatemala
Israel
Netherlands
Puerto Rico
FDA recommends that New Mexico and Texas retailers, restaurateurs, and food service operators offer only fresh and fresh cut red Roma, red plum, and round red tomatoes and food products made from these tomatoes for sale or service from the sources listed above.

FDA further recommends that retailers, restaurateurs, and food service operators continue to offer cherry tomatoes, grape tomatoes, and tomatoes sold with the vine still attached, from any source.