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Tuesday, June 10, 2008 - Page updated at 05:03 PM

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Many varieties of tomatoes disappear from markets, restaurants

Seattle Times staff reporter

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Matt Galvin, a Pagliacci Pizza owner, dumps a container of Roma tomatoes into the garbage. For now, customers will have to do without raw tomatoes on veggie pizzas.

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GREG GILBERT / THE SEATTLE TIMES

Matt Galvin, a Pagliacci Pizza owner, dumps a container of Roma tomatoes into the garbage. For now, customers will have to do without raw tomatoes on veggie pizzas.

Winslow Poage, a produce manager at PCC Natural Markets in View Ridge, is pulling all Roma tomatoes from the shelves to be on the safe side because of the salmonella outbreak.

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GREG GILBERT / THE SEATTLE TIMES

Winslow Poage, a produce manager at PCC Natural Markets in View Ridge, is pulling all Roma tomatoes from the shelves to be on the safe side because of the salmonella outbreak.

Tomato tips

Several types of raw tomatoes have been linked to a salmonella outbreak in 16 states. Some advice for staying safe:

Toss these tomatoes: Round raw red tomatoes, raw red plum tomatoes and raw red Roma tomatoes — except those grown in certain states and countries (see below)

Eat these instead: Raw grape tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, tomatoes with the vine still attached and homegrown tomatoes.

Salmonella symptoms: They generally appear 12 to 72 hours after infection and include abdominal cramps, headache, fever, diarrhea, nausea and vomiting. Report suspected food-borne illness to the health department.

Source: Food and Drug Administration

Salmonella scare

The FDA has linked an outbreak of salmonella poisoning in 16 states to raw round red, plum and Roma tomatoes. While you can't smell, taste or see salmonella, here are tips to reduce the risk:

Check your tomatoes: The FDA advises people to eat only tomatoes not associated with the outbreak: cherry tomatoes, grape tomatoes, tomatoes sold with the vine still attached and tomatoes grown at home. Those with any of the tomato types implicated in the outbreak should throw them away or return them to the store.

Safe sources: The FDA says tomatoes grown in these places are OK to eat: 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, the Netherlands.

Proper handling: Thoroughly wash tomatoes and cut away the part still attached to the plant and the button on the other side, as organisms can attach themselves to the hardened areas.

At restaurants: Ketchup and cooked sauces are not affected by the outbreak. If concerned, tell the restaurant to leave tomatoes off sandwiches and salads.

Wash produce: Wash all produce, organic or not, with cold running water, scrubbing gently with hands or a vegetable brush. Wash fruit regardless of whether you are eating the peel, except bananas. Don't bother with special vegetable washes that have proved not much better than water in studies.

Wash hands, surfaces: Always wash hands with soap and water thoroughly before handling food. Also wash cutting boards, counters and utensils to avoid cross-contamination. Avoid any kind of contact with raw meat when preparing fresh vegetables. Refrigerate sliced-up fruits and vegetables.

The Associated Press

Certain raw tomatoes are disappearing from salsa bars, produce sections, service delis, pizza parlors and even McDonald's restaurants in the Seattle area and across the nation as federal food-safety officials try to stop the spread of an unusual salmonella strain that has sickened people in 16 states, including Washington.

At least 167 cases of salmonellosis caused by the bacteria Salmonella Saintpaul have been reported since mid-April, including a teenager in Okanogan County. The Food and Drug Administration has linked the outbreak to three kinds of raw red tomatoes but is still trying to determine the specific type and source.

In the meantime, many supermarkets and restaurants are playing it safe by throwing out round red, red plum and red Roma tomatoes and products that may contain them. Mexican-food chains Taco Bell and Chipotle both pulled raw tomatoes from their menus, as did many Subway sandwich shop locations.

Others substituted raw tomatoes the FDA has declared safe from this outbreak: tomatoes on the vine, grape tomatoes, cherry tomatoes and tomatoes grown at home.

"If you want tomatoes on your burger right now you'll get a sliced cherry tomato," said Lane Hoss, spokeswoman for Anthony's restaurants. The chain also switched to cooked salsa, as cooking tomatoes to 145 degrees kills salmonella.

Here in the Puget Sound region, local grocers PCC Natural Markets, Metropolitan Market and Haggen Food and Pharmacy have stopped selling fresh guacamole and salsa until further notice. Safeway and Whole Foods Market stores stopped offering tomato slices with deli sandwiches.

Taco del Mar locations pulled pico de gallo and other fresh-tomato products. The Renton School District won't serve tomatoes named in the FDA warning until it receives an all-clear from suppliers, said spokesman Randy Matheson. Pagliacci Pizza customers will have to do without raw tomatoes on veggie pizzas.

"There's just enough uncertainty about where this stuff is coming from," said Matt Galvin, one of Pagliacci's owners. "Why risk any confusion?"

And confusing it is. The FDA has issued an advisory rather than a formal recall, which has prompted soul-searching among food sellers. The FDA has released a list of farming locations, including California, Canada and Hawaii, that it believes are safe from the outbreak.

As a result, some restaurants and markets are confident enough in their produce suppliers to stay the course.

Local chain Azteca will continue serving raw tomatoes it ships in from California, said executive director Randy Thurman.

"The good news is we know exactly where ours are coming from," Thurman said.

Material from The Associated Press is included in this report.

Karen Gaudette: 206-515-5618 or kgaudette@seattletimes.com

Copyright © 2008 The Seattle Times Company

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