There was an article in the Hawai‘i Tribune-Herald Wednesday about a salmonella outbreak on the mainland.

Hamakua Springs is food safety-certified, so we avoid such problems.

What that means is that we have annual inspections and keep detailed records on 60-odd specific points that address issues of food safety.

Salmonella most commonly spreads through contaminated wash water. We have heard of places in foreign countries that use field irrigation water for wash water, after it is used for irrigation and then run down to the ends of the rows. Clearly that should not be allowed.

We never wash our tomatoes in a tank, because there is just too much risk of contamination. What we do instead is use a spray rinse of county drinking water, in order to ensure sanitation. We never reuse wash water.

An email we received from the Produce Marketing Association

DATE: June 1, 2008
TO: All PMA Members
FROM: Kathy Means, PMA VP of Government Relations and Public Affairs
RE: Tomatoes linked to illness outbreak in the Western U.S. (Salmonella)

Today the New Mexico Department of Health announced that an outbreak of illness caused by Salmonella St. Paul is likely caused by eating uncooked tomatoes purchased from specific stores (Wal-Mart in Las Cruces or Farmington, Lowe’s in Las Cruces, or Bashas’ in Crownpoint). So far, 31 people in New Mexico have been sick. Several people have been hospitalized, and no one has died, according to the department. The agency is advising consumers and restaurants that bought tomatoes from those stores since May 3 not to eat them uncooked.

No other action is being requested by health authorities at this time.  PMA has learned that this outbreak linked to tomatoes likely extends to several states, mainly in the Western United States, and may have begun as early as late April. We expect information from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration soon, as FDA and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are working on this issue, and we are working with them. We are seeking more information on the type(s) of tomatoes, source of tomatoes, numbers of illnesses, duration of the outbreak, and distribution channels.

The New Mexico information indicates exposures at both foodservice and retail are involved, but named only the four stores above.

Most people infected with Salmonella develop diarrhea, fever, and abdominal cramps 12 to 72 hours after infection. The illness usually lasts four to seven days, and most recover without treatment. Some people may need hospitalization due to severe diarrhea. The elderly, infants, and those with impaired immune systems are more likely to have a severe illness.

PMA members should know that they have resources – issue briefings on produce and pathogens, produce handling information for consumers, as well as a crisis management manual and recall manual.

PMA will continue to monitor this situation and will share with members any new developments as they become available. If you have questions, please contact Kathy Means or Dr. Bob Whitaker. If you need assistance with media inquiries, contact Julia Stewart.

This alert is a PMA member benefit; if it was forwarded to you, you can contact the PMA Solution Center at solutionctr@pma.com or +1 (302) 738-7100 to be added to the list of people at member companies who receive these alerts. You are receiving this message because PMA believes you will benefit from this information. If you have any concerns about mailings of this type, please contact PMA’s Solution Center.

About salmonella

Salmonella is a family of bacteria that can cause diarrheal illness in humans. The elderly, infants, and those with impaired immune systems are more likely to have severe illness. Salmonellosis is more common in summer than winter. Children are the most likely to get salmonellosis.

Salmonella bacteria are usually transmitted by eating foods contaminated with animal feces. Most people infected with Salmonella develop diarrhea, fever, and abdominal cramps, and most recover without treatment. However, sometimes the diarrhea may be so severe that the patient needs to be hospitalized. Rarely, the Salmonella infection may spread from the intestines to the blood stream, and then to other body sites; it can cause serious illness or death unless the person is treated promptly with antibiotics.