Georgia Commissioner of Agriculture Tommy Irvin is reminding consumers that tomatoes grown in Georgia are not affected by the salmonella outbreak currently in the news.
Although some food retailers have pulled all tomatoes from their shelves and menus, those purchasing Georgia grown tomatoes do not need to worry. Georgia grown tomatoes are not on the Food and Drug Administration’s list of possible sources of salmonella contamination.
Consumers should check with their local grocers and restaurants as to where the tomatoes for sale were grown. Produce can also be purchased directly from farmers and farmer’s markets.
“I encourage everyone to buy their tomatoes from Georgia growers,” said Commissioner Irvin. “Buying from local farmers is the best way to ensure quality as well as safety.”
The FDA issued a warning June 7 that some raw red plum, red Roma, and red round tomatoes had been linked to salmonella contamination. Cherry tomatoes, grape tomatoes, and tomatoes sold with the vine still attached were not implicated.
According to the FDA, areas where tomatoes have been grown and are NOT associated with the outbreak are: Alabama, Arkansas, California, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Minnesota, Mississippi, New York, Nebraska, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, West Virginia, Belgium, Canada, Dominican Republic, Guatemala, Israel, Netherlands, and Puerto Rico.