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October 12, 2008 3:39:27 PM CDT

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Tomatoes OK, FDA Says

Posted Jul 17, 08 3:20 PM CDT in Science & Health,  US 

(AP) – The US government has declared it's OK to eat tomatoes again, lifting its salmonella warning amid signs that the outbreak, while not over, may finally be slowing. Officials reiterated earlier warnings that the people most at risk of salmonella should avoid hot peppers, particularly jalapenos and serranos. The Food and Drug Administration is sending inspectors to Mexico to investigate a packing house that receives peppers from a number of farms.

The government still doesn't know just what caused the salmonella outbreak, and today's move doesn't mean tomatoes are cleared. Early on, there was good evidence linking them to the sick, but it's unlikely that any field where tomatoes were harvested in April and May still is in production. Among later illnesses, there seems to be more evidence against peppers.

Source Associated Press

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Workers stand with crates of tomatoes at the Central de Abastos market in Mexico City.   (AP Photo)
Tomatoes in Philadelphia. The FDA declares it's OK to eat tomatoes again, Thursday, July 17, 2008, lifting its salmonella warning as outbreak slows.   (AP Photo)
A tomato, in section.   (AP Photo)
Crowds of people line up to buy Arkansas grown tomatoes at the Farmers Market, Saturday, June 14, 2008 in Little Rock, Ark.   (AP Photo)
A sign on the door at McDonald's restaurant in downtown Chicago tells customers the fast food restaurant has stopped serving sliced tomatoes.   (AP Photo)
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Mexico  • FDA  • outbreak  • tomatoes  • salmonella  • ban  • chili peppers


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