Tomatoes pulled from restaurants here, nationwide

Seattle Times staff and wire reports

Certain tomatoes are disappearing from salsa bars, produce sections, service delis, pizza parlors and even McDonald's restaurants here 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.

At least 145 cases of salmonellosis have been reported since mid-April, including one in Eastern Washington, caused by the bacteria salmonella saintpaul. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has linked the outbreak to three kinds of raw red tomatoes but is still investigating the specific type and source.

Federal officials recommended that consumers avoid red plum, red Roma or round red tomatoes unless they were grown in certain states and countries.

McDonald's Corp., the world's largest hamburger chain, has stopped serving sliced tomatoes on its sandwiches as a precaution until the source of the bacterial infection is known, according to a statement today from spokeswoman Danya Proud. McDonald's will continue serving grape tomatoes in its salads because no problems have been linked to that variety, she said.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has said at least 23 people have been hospitalized, and no deaths have been reported.

Here in the Puget Sound region, local grocers PCC Natural Markets, Metropolitan Market and Haggen Food and Pharmacy 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. 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?"

The FDA is telling consumers to eat raw red plum, red Roma or red round tomatoes only if they were grown or harvested from these areas:

Arkansas

California

Georgia