FDA Urges Consumers Not to Eat Hundreds of Products Recalled Because of Contaminated Peanuts and Peanut Ingredients

/PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- So far more than 500 cases of foodborne illness caused by Salmonella Typhimurium have been reported. Many of these cases have required hospitalization. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have confirmed that the sources of this outbreak are peanut products from the Peanut Corporation of America (PCA). PCA sells peanuts, peanut butter, peanut paste, peanut granules and peanut meal, all of which have been recalled

Although none of these PCA products were sold directly to the public, they can potentially sicken consumers because they are used by institutions, the food service industry, and by many companies as ingredients in hundreds of food products, including cookies, crackers and other baked goods, candies, snack bars and snack mixes, fruit and vegetable products with peanut butter, ice cream, and pet foods.

Major national brands of jarred peanut butter found in grocery stores are not affected by the PCA recall.

Companies are recalling their products that contain peanut ingredients from PCA. FDA urges consumers not to eat products that have been recalled or feed them to their pets, and to throw them away in a manner that prevents others from eating them. To help consumers identify these recalled products, FDA has created a searchable database which can be found at http://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/peanutbutterrecall/index.cfm. Identification of products subject to recall is continuing and this database is updated frequently. The database is sorted by product category, such as cookies, snack bars, etc., or it can be searched by brand name, UPC code, product description (example: crackers with peanut butter), or any combination of brand, UPC code and description. Persons who do not have access to the Internet can get this information by calling FDA's information line at 1-888-SAFEFOOD or CDC's information line at 1-800-CDC-INFO. The CDC line is staffed 24 hours every day.

If a product is not in FDA's list of recalled products, consumers can check the company's Web site or call the toll-free number listed on most packaging. Information consumers may receive from the companies in this manner has not been verified by FDA.

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September 11th, 2008

Tomorrow is the anniversary of the attack on the United States by terrorists.

A month of so after the attack, when everyone was still sporting American flags on their lapels and in their yards, I remember talking to my husband about the renewed patriotism and the single spirit we as a nation seemed to have at the time. I hated the reason, but was thrilled to see such a monumental change in our country's attitudes.

I thought he was being overly cynical when he said it wouldn't last very long. Unfortunately, he was right and I was wrong.

It didn't last very long in the scheme of things. It didn't take long for the flags to fade from the windshields and the solidarity t-shirts to end up in the rag bag.

If anything, we seen to be more divided than we were before 9/11. Politics is nastier than ever. Less seems to be done every day to promote our love of country.

Everyone supports the troops now, at least on the surface. Some of us truly care and believe, others mouth the sentiment because it is politically correct to do so. It's also a potential career killer if you don't talk the talk at least, even while doing damage to the cause for which they're fighting.

Tomorrow John McCain and Barack Obama will hold a truce for a short day, then go back to fighting.

Tomorrow school children will be fed a spoonful of information about September 11th. Then they will go back to their normal lessons and play.

Tomorrow people will dig out their flags and spend a few moments reflecting on the horrific day that changed our world. Then they'll pack up the flags and patriotism for the year and go back to their routine and forget about it all for another year.

I'm proud that we have some who value their freedoms and are willing to fight for them. I'm not simply talking about our soldiers who put their lives on the line to protect those freedoms. I'm talking about groups like the Sons and Daughters of the American Revolution who try to promote patriotism throughout the year. I'm talking about individuals who make sure their flags are flown properly and who make sure they always fly. I'm talking about those who work in so many ways to help protect the Constitution, the Declaration of Independence and all that has made our country shine.

We need our patriots, we need those who love our country and we need people who are able to look beyond their own needs to see the bigger picture.

We need to remember September 11 and it's lessons every day, not just one day a year.

- jmd
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Nothing Toxic About Sarah Palin

There's nothing toxic about Sarah Palin... unless you happen to be on "the other team". I can't remember when a choice made by any political party has so energized a group! I wasn't particularly involved when Geraldine Ferraro was picked as VP on the Democratic side so I can't compare this to then. It seems she was truly picked just to try and give a token nod to women.

The Dems are saying Palin was a contrived pick to get the women. To me that is demeaning. What they're basically saying is that any woman would have brought the women (aka pied piper rats?) to the voting booth. I have news for you guys, we are picky about who we support, man or woman.

Palin is the entire package. She has balanced family and job and still managed to look good doing it. She doesn't seem to ruffle easy, she's not intimidated by the good-old-boys and man is she sharp.

There is electricity in the air. McCain showed the Democrats what "change" is all about. It's not a guy who has spent his life re-writing himself and grooming himself to be the President. This is what real is all about. This is what change is all about.
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Companies Agree To Cut Cancer-Causing Chemicals In Potato Chips

TT Note: NO! It's just horrible to think that potato chips can contribute to cancer. Read the story and see what they are saying--

The state of California has settled lawsuits against Heinz, Frito-Lay, Kettle Foods and Lance Inc. after the companies agreed to slash levels of the cancer-causing chemical.....

Read the story.

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What's Lurking in Your Granite Countertop Can Kill You!

TT Note: Whoa, Nelly. What's this? Slick marketing or is it more? Funny how there appears to be no "solid" evidence of the claims made by the nonprofit that appears to be funded by someone who benefits. Oh the other hand..........I guess perhaps they can't bite the hand that feeds them.

But then again, those of us who live anywhere near "radon central - big granite outcrop" most likely don't have to worry about a few extra linear feet in our homes. Gee, I wonder who wrote this story?? Must have been someone who is between a rock and a hard place.

24-7 - When marketing a product, one expects a bit of hype. The idea is to show that the product is the best over the competitor's line of product. That is the trade of advertisers and the history of marketing. Some tactics used to sell can be humorous or as serious as the competition between manufacturers. Marketing tactics that play on fears of the general public can be a very powerful tool.

In the present day, there's a very popular angle of "green." This is prevalent everywhere in the media. So what happens when you mix a scare tactic under the guise of environmental concern?

Buildclean found the answer to that question. The premise seems of the nonprofit organization seems to be admirable but the fact that the "awareness campaign" that Buildclean is currently using seems to be curiously slanted. In fact, the target seems to be the natural stone industry.

When Sara Selber of BuildClean was asked how she got involved in natural stone and radon, she explained how she was approached by the owner of C&C North America, a company that produces two products - granite and a quartz product called Silestone.

"C&C North America then recruited a quartz company called Cambria, after they learned quartz was an issue, she further explained that the two companies hired her to test quartz, granite and other surfaces for radon emission. Both companies are testing their products through BuildClean, and they contracted two labs - one in New York and one in Israel.

We have looked all over the C&C website but cannot find any mention of natural stone.

When ask what granites emit radon, Sara Selber said; "Not all granites emit radon or radiation. There are some that clearly do. There are some that absolutely don't. We don't know," she said.

They're being set up as a non-profit, and they're funded with two large donations.
The first is $250,000 from the makers of 'Silestone.' They manufacture quartz countertops, which is a direct competitor to granite. Silestone finance records show that they started out in April of 1998 with a an initial investment of $410K, made there first million in 1998, sales in 2002 was over $70M, and sales in 2006 was well over $260M. it is not hard to see that they have the money to invest $250,000 in a new advertising campaign.

BuildClean is also getting money from Cambria, another quartz manufacturer. In fact, Cambria's marketing director is on BuildClean's board of directors.

When asked about the funding Sara responds: I don't believe the issue is who our founders are. And I'm not going to have that debate." That answer seems to be clear enough.

In a recent interview Mrs. Selber mentions teaming up with Al Gerhart who has some interest in the granite radon scare.

Al Gerhart is a carpenter who happens to own a website called the Solid Surface Alliance .org. He educated himself, regarding materials he works with that may expose him to harmful elements.

Upon further review it seems this "personality" is well known for his view of natural stone. All one has to do is look at the website to get the gist of his viewpoint. Coincidentally, there also seems to be a new business venture for Solid Surface Alliance as the website now sells Geiger counters to detect radiation...
His debates have earned him quite a place online in forums discussing the subject.

After a certain debate on a well known residential forum, a renowned geoscientist in the industry concluded:
"Al attempts to hijack debates by choking the system with verbal diarrhea. The problem appears to be that he has a bit of knowledge about some things but not enough sense and understanding of the subjects. In that debate on the Garden Forum he threw in so many fabrications (plain made up lies) that his credibility just plummeted to zero.

Anyone who operates this way (by including a number of facts to gain an element of credibility in the eyes of a generally uninformed audience, twisting facts deliberately or because of his lack of understanding, and then throwing in a number of lies) does not deserve extended airtime. Many years ago when doing science psychology I still remember my professor giving the advice to his students that you should never engage a nutter in debate. You can never win an argument with such people. I recognized this early in the forum and that is why I would not engage him in "debate".

One of his major problems is that he does not know what the numbers mean and how they are derived."

In response to the BuildClean(TM) tactics, The Marble Institute of America is in the process of doing their own independent study:

"The Marble Institute of America (MIA) is grateful for the preliminary response from the members to the newly established Truth About Granite Fund. Based on this positive response, it's clear that their colleagues share their commitment to protect consumers from needless fear mongering by establishing standards for the testing of granite so consumers can safely and comfortably enjoy the beauty, durability and practicality of this natural stone."

When we asked the MIA why Sara Speer Selber consider The Truth About Granite Fund as a draconian move that is being waged against BuildClean(TM), they simple responded:

"The Truth About Granite Fund was established to help raise funds to develop unbiased, scientific standards for the granite industry, including the testing of granite for radon. No such standards currently exist in the natural stone industry. Previous tests of granite samples have found they are safe. However, the Truth in Granite Fund aims to take advantage of new, advanced scientific instruments that make testing both more practical and more accurate. Our goal is to make sure testing follows consistent protocols, so that future studies are meaningful and based on consistent, approved science - not isolated methodologies or unapproved instruments. Ultimately, our goal is to make sure the granite we sell is safe."

This latest sales tactic received the attention of an independent group called the Natural Stone Restoration Alliance (NSRA). The NSRA saw Radon testing as an added service that their members could provide to the homeowners along with all their other services for natural stone. Josveek Huligar, one of the lead testers and trainer for the NSRA , invited times Members of the Solid Surface Alliance dot org to discuss and provide proof of this threat to the home owners.

The Solid Surface Alliance dot org agreed to provide an alleged radiation producing granite sample that they claim to have in their possession to do independent testing. After an initial agreement between the two groups it seems the Solid Surface Alliance dot org has reneged on the delivery of the alleged material. Mr Huligar was disappointed of the outcome. The NSRA than requested the name of the company that Mr. Gerhart claimed to just have rejected over 10k worth of radon producing granite. When the information was not provided, Huligar ask if he could purchase the next slab that Mr. Gerhart rejected. But for some reason Mr. Gerhart could no longer find a sample for testing. Mr. Huligar went on to say: "All we care about at this point. As for whether are not Stone adds a measurable amount of "radon" in a home, Mr. Gerhart had agreed to come to NY and pick out a hot slab that I would place in my own home after testing my home for radon. Once the granite was installed I would test my home again as described by the EPA and have it tested by someone approved by the EPA. Not only would we do the short and long term test, we would also video tape the whole event, the selection, the creation, the install, and than setting up cameras for anyone to view the stone and meters on the net. I was looking forward to do this, but at this time it appears that Mr. Gerhart has no plans on doing as he said which is a big disappointment."

The NSRA plans to push for this simple test, they feel that the consumers only care about one thing; "whether or not adding granite in your home would significantly change the radon levels in a home". At present, the most prudent consumer should watch the outcome of this debate and make an informed decision, not taken in by a scare tactic by advertisers.

EPA Confirms That Granite Countertops Pose No Significant Health Risk. Click here to read their story.

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U.S. Grown Jalapeño and Serrano Peppers Not Connected to Salmonella Saintpaul Outbreak

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is advising consumers that jalapeño and Serrano peppers grown in the United States are not connected with the current Salmonella Saintpaul outbreak.

However, the FDA continues to advise consumers to avoid raw jalapeño peppers--and the food that contains them--if they have been grown, harvested or packed in Mexico.

In addition to domestically grown raw jalapeño peppers, commercially canned, pickled and cooked jalapeño peppers from any and all geographic locations also are not connected with the current Salmonella Saintpaul outbreak.

The FDA is working with state regulatory agencies and food industry groups that represent restaurants, grocery stores and wholesalers to ensure everyone clearly understands this new, more narrow, advisory. The FDA will continue to refine its consumer guidance as the agency’s investigation continues.

The more narrow advisory the FDA is issuing today (July 25, 2008) is based on evidence gathered during a multi-week, intensive investigation conducted in partnership with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and public health authorities in several U.S. states to find the source of the contamination that led to the outbreak. The collective review of the current traceback investigation and harvesting dates, matched with the dates that people became ill, have combined to indicate that the contaminated jalapeño pepper originated in Mexico.

Additional traceback and traceforward information obtained last week has led to the determination that the Agricola Zarigoza produce-distribution center in McAllen, Texas--from where FDA took the positive jalapeño pepper sample--was not the original source of the contamination.

The FDA is continuing to advise that people in high-risk populations, such as elderly persons, infants and people with impaired immune systems, avoid eating raw Serrano peppers from Mexico or food made from raw Serrano peppers from Mexico until further notice.

Class Action Charges Botox Killed, Injured Consume

TT Note: We've always wondered about potential dangers with the popular use of botox injections. This story really made the hair on our heads stand up. We knew you'd want to read it as well.

Botox users and their families have filed a class action lawsuit against Allergan, claiming the company failed to adequately warn users of the drug's dangers....

Read the story.

HHS Announces New International Programs to Enhance Drug and Food Safety Joint Inspections with European Union and Australian Regulators

HHS Announces New International Programs to Enhance Drug and Food Safety Joint Inspections with European Union and Australian Regulators; Third-Party Certification Program Are Latest Steps toward Implementing New Import Strategy

U.S. Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Mike Leavitt today announced two groundbreaking programs designed to enhance the safety of food and medical products exported to the United States.

"These programs will significantly increase our collaboration with international and private sector partners to enhance the safety of imported food and medical products," Secretary Leavitt said. "Working together, we intend to offer expedited access to those products shown to
meet our standards and to focus more of our resources on those products that present higher risks."

Secretary Leavitt made the announcement in a speech to hundreds of industry leaders at an Import Safety Summit in Washington. He described the twin initiatives as the latest steps in a fundamental, government-wide shift to implement the Interagency Import Safety Action Plan finalized in November 2007. Historically, U.S. authorities have primarily relied on intervening at the border to intercept unsafe goods.

The new strategy calls for actively working with trading partners to help ensure they build quality into every step of a product's life cycle, targeting critical points where risk is greatest, and focusing attention and resources on these areas.

The first initiative is a pilot project the HHS Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is undertaking with its counterparts in the European Union and Australia to jointly plan, allocate for and conduct inspections of drug-manufacturing facilities. The project will initially focus on makers of active pharmaceutical ingredients. If successful, this program could expand to include other types of manufacturing facilities. The novel collaboration will allow HHS/FDA to
more fully take advantage of information gathered by trusted inspection and regulatory systems in other countries.

The second initiative is a third-party certification pilot program involving aquacultured (farm-raised) shrimp. HHS/FDA is seeking the participation of certification bodies that currently certify foreign processors of aquacultured shrimp for compliance with the FDA's seafood regulations. The project is designed to help HHS/FDA learn how to evaluate third-party certification programs and implement them in the field -- a key part of leveraging the additional resources of the private sector and other regulators.

Americans Eating More Processed Sugar, Study Finds

Americans are getting more than 10 percent of their daily calories from fructose, used mainly in sugar-sweetened beverages and processed foods, a new study finds.

The study, analyzing the amount and sources of dietary fructose consumption among U.S. children and adults from 1988 to 1994, was published in the July 9, 2008 issue of The Medscape Journal of Medicine.

Fructose occurs naturally in fruits and vegetables, however, it is added to many processed foods as table sugar (sucrose) and high-fructose corn syrup.

"Measurement of fructose consumption is important because growing evidence suggests that it may play a role in health outcomes," says lead study author Miriam Vos, MD, MSPH, assistant professor of pediatrics, Emory University School of Medicine.

Vos and colleagues examined fructose consumption patterns by sex, age group, race/ethnicity, socioeconomic status and body mass index for 21,483 U.S. children and adults. They used a single 24-hour dietary recall administered in the third National Health and Examination Survey (NHANES), the only nationally representative survey in the past 20 years to include fructose content as a reported variable.

The study found that U.S. children and adults consumed 54.7 grams of fructose per day, an almost 50 percent increase from a national study sample conducted in 1977-1978, which estimated mean consumption of fructose at 37 grams per day.

Fructose consumption was highest among adolescents ages 12 to18 at 72.8 grams per day. Among racial and ethnic groups, non-Hispanic blacks consumed the most fructose at 57.7 grams per day, or 11 percent of total calories. Normal-weight participants (56.2 grams) consumed more fructose than obese persons (51.1 grams). And those in the highest-income category consumed less of their total calories from fructose than those in the lowest-income category.

The largest source of fructose was sugar-sweetened beverages (30.1 percent), followed by grains, which include processed foods such as cakes, pies and snacks, breads and cereals (21.5 percent), and fruit or fruit juices (19.4 percent).

"Short-term studies have shown that fructose can elevate plasma triglycerides," says Vos. "Further surveillance and research are needed to assess trends in fructose consumption and to develop a better understanding of the health impact of this common additive in the food supply."

India's Public and Private Sectors Should Unite to Address Diabetes Epidemic

Central and state governments as well as private industry and universities are among some of the groups that should unite to enact policy changes addressing India's growing diabetes epidemic, say leading U.S. and global diabetes researchers.

The researchers include Karen Siegel, MPH, a research associate at MATRIX Public Health Solutions, Inc., K. M. Venkat Narayan, MD, MSc, MBA, of Emory University's Rollins School of Public Health, and Sanjay Kinra of the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine in the United Kingdom. Their recommendations for diabetes prevention and control policies in India are published in the July 8, 2008 issue of Health Affairs.

"Diabetes is part of a larger global epidemic of noncommunicable diseases," says Narayan. "Because these diseases share many risk factors, policies that encourage healthy eating and active living will prevent not only diabetes, but also obesity, cardiovascular disease, chronic respiratory illnesses and diet-related cancers. An integrated system can maximize disease prevention while avoiding the need to develop separate courses of action."

India is currently home to 35 million people with diabetes, a number that is expected to double by the year 2025. This places a large burden on India's health system, and threatens to cripple the country's rapidly growing economy. The World Health Organization estimates that India will lose $237 billion in national income due to diabetes, stroke and heart disease.

Siegel, lead author of the paper, adds, "Economic growth policies aimed at transforming India into a developed nation by 2030 are contributing to escalating diabetes rates that threaten to cripple the rapidly emerging economy. Research shows that diabetes is preventable through physical activity and healthy eating, but current conditions in India promote sedentary lifestyles and unhealthy eating.

"Updated policies and comprehensive action to address diabetes are needed to incorporate health as a national priority, and to encourage healthy lifestyles as well as economic growth," says Siegel.

Among the policy recommendations proposed by Siegel and Narayan are comprehensive, multisectoral national actions that address diabetes risk factors.

Players, they say, should include central/state governments, multilateral organizations, private sector, nongovernmental organizations, academics and researchers, public-private partnerships, health care sector and the media.

Siegel and Narayan also recommend "best buys" for diabetes prevention and treatment based on impact, cost and effectiveness, including:

• Working with the private sector to encourage investments in employee health Promoting physical activity, especially active transport
• Modifying agricultural policies and practices to encourage consumption of fruits and vegetables
• Creating research and development policies that focus on innovative ways to deliver affordable fruits and vegetables on a mass scale
• Spearheading national efforts to reduce salt, fat and sugar in processed foods
• Building capacity in public health schools, medical schools and other institutions

'Natural' On The Label Can Be Misleading

TT Note: Yet another reason not to believe everything you hear--

The government has some very precise rules about what food can be labeled "organic." But there are few real rules to govern the use of "natural," and the result, food producers warn, can lead to consumer confusion......

Read the story.

Coming Soon: Generic Drugs from China

TT Note: Say it ain't so. Yet again, China appears to be on the brink of exporting more into the country and this time, it's something that could really hurt or kill us. With all the safety issues with all of the recalls, do you want to trust they will make drugs safe? Here's the full story from Consumer Affairs.

If you liked the heparin, dog food, lead-painted toys, toothpaste and truck tires from China, you'll be happy to hear that Chinese-made generic drugs are making their way to the U.S. While the development raises some safety concerns....

Read the story.

World Population Approaches 7 Billion

TT Note: Is it getting crowded around here? Where can all these people go? These numbers just boggle the mind.

World population is projected to reach 7 billion in 2012, according to
the U.S. Census Bureau. The world population hit 6 billion in 1999.

These figures come from the updated world population estimates and
projections released today through the Census Bureau’s International Data
Base (IDB). The IDB provides information on population size and growth, age
and sex composition, mortality, fertility and net migration. The data are
available for 226 countries and other selected geographies.

This revision to the IDB includes updated projections for 34 countries.
Compared to previous estimates, this revision indicates that the world
population will be 146 million larger in 2050.

The Census Bureau’s latest projections show world population growing
at a slower pace during the first half of the 21st century than the latter
half of the 20th century. The world population doubled from 3 billion in
1959 to 6 billion in 1999, but is projected to increase by only 50 percent
between 1999 and 2040.

Global population growth, about 1.2 percent per year, is projected to
decline to 0.5 percent by 2050. However, this growth will be concentrated
in less-developed countries.

About 1.5 percent of the current global population is 80 or older, with
more than half living in developed countries. By 2050, about 5 percent of
the world’s population is projected to be 80 or older, with about three in
four likely to be living in less-developed countries. For developed
countries, the percentage of the population 80 or older will grow to about
10 percent in 2050.

World population estimates and projections include the impact of HIV and
AIDS. Of the 34 countries updated in this revision, nine are hard hit by
this pandemic (Benin, Côte d’Ivoire [Ivory Coast], Eritrea, Ethiopia,
Guinea, Nigeria, South Africa, Zimbabwe and the Central African Republic).
Data for other countries seriously affected by HIV and AIDS are also
available from the International Data Base.

The International Data Base offers online users a choice of ways to
retrieve demographic data, including:

· Country summary pages showing key population indicators <
http://www.census.gov/ipc/www/idb/summaries.html>

· Tables of demographic indicators for countries and regions <
http://www.census.gov/ipc/www/idb/tables.html>

· Population pyramids showing age and sex composition <
http://www.census.gov/ipc/www/idb/pyramids.html>.

For more information about this update, including the list of updated
countries, visit

Throwing Those Tomatoes In My Face

Gotta tell you. I'm shocked. That's all there is to it.

I visited a restaurant today in Tyrone and was served a tomato. Was it a cherry or a grape? Nope. It was a big old hunking slice of red tomato.

Now, with all the news and all the headlines, haven't the owners noticed there's a nationwide recall? I had to ask them.

"Where are these tomatoes from?"

"The box said Florida."

"Ok. When did you get them?"

"We buy them at the farmer's market."

What was wrong with that statement? It was only yesterday that some counties in Florida were approved to start shipping them again. How does the restaurant know they were shipped after being approved? How does the restaurant know they were from Florida? I mean, anyone could throw a bunch of tomatoes they wanted to sell into an old box.

Me thinks the restaurant doesn't know. Me thinks they don't read the news. Me thinks I won't be eating there soon.

Florida Counties Poised to Begin Shipping Tomatoes Again After Being Added to FDA’s “Safe to Eat” List

BUSINESS WIRE -- Florida’s tomato growers enthusiastically welcomed the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s announcement that consumers are clear to eat tomatoes harvested in 19 Florida counties. The counties encompass the Ruskin-Palmetto and Quincy areas of the state, Florida’s prime tomato-producing regions.

The FDA said the following counties are not associated with the outbreak of Salmonella saintpaul: Jackson, Gadsden, Leon, Jefferson, Madison, Suwannee, Hamilton, Hillsborough, Polk, Manatee, Hardee, Desoto, Sarasota, Highlands, Pasco, Sumter, Citrus, Hernando and Charlotte.

“This allows us to get Florida tomatoes back into supermarkets and restaurants and to move forward in rebuilding consumer confidence in safe, healthy produce,” said Reggie Brown, executive vice president of the Florida Tomato Growers Exchange. “Our growers are working overtime to get their products back into the marketplace.”

The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services worked with the FDA to get the counties added to the “safe to eat” list. Growers will provide a certificate issued by the state with each shipment of tomatoes verifying they were harvested after May 1. The Tomato Growers Exchange urges restaurants and supermarkets to contact their shippers for more information.

The losses already incurred by the state’s tomato industry during the outbreak are major. Growers estimate that ultimately the economic impact will be more than $500 million.

“Until now, the market has been in complete collapse. Crops have remained in fields, packinghouses and in the distribution system,” Brown said. “The losses are staggering.”

No illnesses linked to Salmonella saintpaul have been reported in the Southeast, a primary destination for Florida tomatoes this time of year. “It’s unfortunate that anyone has become ill. However, we’ve had confidence in our tomatoes all along – we just had to wait for FDA and the CDC to do their trace-back work,” Brown said.

The Florida tomato industry remains committed to the production of a safe product. Florida is the first state in the country to adopt a comprehensive food safety program with mandatory government inspection and audit of its tomatoes. “Those involved in the growing and marketing of fresh tomatoes voluntarily incorporate food safety as part of their everyday business practices,” he said. “We’re committed to taking the steps necessary to ensure consumer confidence in our crops.”

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Commissaries Pull Some Tomatoes From Shelves

Defense Commissary Agency officials have pulled some kinds of tomatoes off the shelves of military commissary stores -- except those in Europe -- after the Food and Drug Administration issued a warning that a recent salmonella outbreak has been linked to consumption of certain raw red tomatoes.

Commissaries outside Europe have stopped selling raw red plum, Roma, or round red tomatoes unless they originate from an "approved area," according to a notice posted on the agency's Web site. Approved areas are those not implicated in the recent Salmonella "serotype Saintpaul" outbreak, the notice said.

No sales restrictions have been placed on cherry tomatoes, grape tomatoes, or tomatoes sold with the vine still attached. According to the FDA, those types are not likely to be the source of the outbreak.

Armed Forces Press Service

FDA Warns Consumers Nationwide Not to Eat Certain Types of Raw Red Tomatoes

TT Note: We've been following this story for several days and have been watching as the health threat grows. This is the latest information released late this afternoon.

The Food and Drug Administration is expanding its warning to consumers nationwide that a salmonellosis outbreak has been linked to consumption of certain raw red plum, red Roma, and red round tomatoes, and products containing these raw, red tomatoes.

FDA recommends that consumers not eat raw red Roma, raw red plum, raw red round tomatoes, or products that contain these types of raw red tomatoes unless the tomatoes are from the sources listed below. If unsure of where tomatoes are grown or harvested, consumers are encouraged to contact the store where the tomato purchase was made. Consumers should continue to eat cherry tomatoes, grape tomatoes, and tomatoes sold with the vine still attached, or tomatoes grown at home.

On June 5, using traceback and other distribution pattern information, FDA published a list of states, territories, and countries where tomatoes are grown and harvested which have not been associated with this outbreak. This updated list includes: Arkansas, California, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Belgium, Canada, Dominican Republic, Guatemala, Israel, Netherlands, and Puerto Rico. The list is available at www.fda.gov/oc/opacom/hottopics/tomatoes.html#retailers. This list will be updated as more information becomes available.

FDA’s recommendation does not apply to the following tomatoes from any source: cherry, grape, and tomatoes sold with the vine still attached.

FDA recommends that retailers, restaurateurs, and food service operators not offer for sale and service raw red Roma, raw red plum, and raw red round tomatoes unless they are from the sources listed above. Cherry tomatoes, grape tomatoes, and tomatoes sold with the vine still attached, may continue to be offered from any source.

Since mid April, there have been 145 reported cases of salmonellosis caused by Salmonella Saintpaul nationwide, including at least 23 hospitalizations. States reporting illnesses linked to the outbreak include: Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Oregon, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington, and Wisconsin. Salmonella Saintpaul is an uncommon type of Salmonella.

Salmonella can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections particularly in young children, frail or elderly people, and those with weakened immune systems. Healthy persons often experience fever, diarrhea (which may be bloody), nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain. In rare circumstances, the organism can get into the bloodstream and produce more severe illnesses. Consumers who have recently eaten raw tomatoes or foods containing raw tomatoes and are experiencing any of these symptoms should contact their health care provider. All Salmonella infections should be reported to state or local health authorities.

FDA recognizes that the source of the contaminated tomatoes may be limited to a single grower or packer or tomatoes from a specific geographic area. FDA also recognizes that there are many tomato crops across the country and in foreign countries that will be ready for harvest or will become ready in the coming months. In order to ensure that consumers can continue to enjoy tomatoes that are safe to eat, FDA is working diligently with the states, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Indian Health Service, and various food industry trade associations to quickly determine the source of the tomatoes associated with the outbreak.

FDA is taking these actions while the agency continues to investigate this outbreak with state and federal partners. Such actions are a key component of FDA’s Food Protection Plan, a scientific and risk-based approach to strengthen and protect the nation’s food supply.

FDA will continue to issue updates as more specific information becomes available.

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Marler Clark: A Long History of Tomatoes and Salmonella

BUSINESS WIRE--The CDC, public health officials in several states, the Indian Health Service, and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) are working together on an ongoing multi-state outbreak of human salmonella serotype saintpaul infections linked to the consumption of tomatoes. According to food borne illness attorney William Marler, this isn’t the first time tomatoes are the source of salmonella infections.

“Salmonella and tomatoes have an ongoing relationship,” Marler said. “Sadly, it’s a long list of outbreaks. We’ve gotten better at tracing the serotypes and finding the source of the tainted food, but we have to do more: we have to prevent contaminated food from entering the food supply in the first place.”

In 1990, a reported 174 salmonella javiana illnesses were linked to raw tomatoes as part of a four-state outbreak. In 1993, 84 reported cases of salmonella montevideo were part of a three-state outbreak. In January 1999, salmonella baildon was recovered from 86 infected persons in eight states. In July 2002, an outbreak of salmonella javiana occurred associated with attendance at the 2002 U.S. Transplant Games held in Orlando, Florida during late June of that year. Ultimately, the outbreak investigation identified 141 ill persons in 32 states who attended the games. All were linked to consumption of raw tomatoes.

During August and September 2002, a salmonella newport outbreak affected the East Coast. Ultimately, over 404 confirmed cases were identified in over 22 states. Epidemiological analysis indicated that tomatoes were the most likely vehicle, and were traced back to the same tomato packing facility in the mid-Atlantic region.

In early July 2004, as many as 564 confirmed cases of salmonellosis associated with consumption of contaminated tomatoes purchased at Sheetz Convenience Store were reported in five states: Pennsylvania, Maryland, Ohio, West Virginia, and Virginia. Seventy percent were associated with tomatoes in food prepared at Sheetz convenience stores. In 2006 two outbreaks of salmonella-tainted tomatoes where reported by the FDA. One was blamed for nearly 100 illnesses in 19 states. FDA also traced tomatoes involved in another outbreak involving 183 people in 21 states.

Since late April, 2008, 68 persons infected with genetically identical salmonella saintpaul have been identified in Texas (35 persons) and New Mexico (33 persons). In addition, 29 persons with the outbreak strain of salmonella saintpaul have been reported since mid-April in residents of Arizona (6 persons), Colorado (1), Idaho (2), Illinois (12), Indiana (1), Kansas (3), Utah (1), Virginia (1), and Wisconsin (2).

UGA Given $4.1 Million to Study Disappearing Bees

Almost half the bee colonies in the United States died last winter. Many were the result of a disorder that causes the colony to literally collapse. Using a $4.1 million grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, scientists at the University of Georgia hope to find solutions to the problem that is killing bees in 36 states.

“Our long-term goal is to restore large and diverse populations of managed bee pollinators across the U.S. to sustain natural and agricultural plant communities,” said Keith Delaplane, an entomologist with the UGA College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences. Delaplane will direct the four-year Coordinated Agriculture Project (CAP) that is part of a National Research Initiative funded through the USDA Cooperative State Research, Education and Extension Service.

A multidisciplinary team of researchers and extension specialists representing 17 states will be working on the project. The 19-member team will include specialists in epidemiology, virology, pathology, ecology, toxicology, bee biology, apiculture and integrated pest management.

The team will study colony collapse disorder. First identified in November 2006, CCD expresses itself in bee colonies where foragers have abandoned the nest. This leaves behind large quantities of untended young bees and honey.

Normally, weakened colonies are robbed clean by neighboring bees. When a colony is decimated by CCD the untended honey may remain untouched.

Scientists believe a combination of factors contribute to the phenomenon including pesticide exposure, environmental and nutritional stresses, new or reemerging pathogens and a new virus that targets the bees' immune systems.

“At this point it’s more forensic science than experimental science,” Delaplane said. “We have a set of symptoms but we don’t understand cause and effect.”

Initial research will focus on determining which of the factors are contributing causes of CCD, either individually or in combination.

“We are trying to look at CCD from every angle, address it with research and deliver the knowledge to clientele groups who need answers,” he said. “Expectations are high.”

After research is complete, the research team hopes to have some practical answers for beekeepers and growers of crops that rely on bees for pollination. Plans include developing best management practice guides, breeding strains of bees with genetic resistance to parasites and pathogens, improving the regulatory framework for better protection against pathogens, pests and parasites and creating Web-based distribution of science-based information on bee health and CCD. They are also laying the groundwork for a bee stock registry.

Honeybees pollinate about a third of the nation’s food supply and add $15 billion annually to U.S. crops. They pollinate 130 different fruits, vegetables and nuts including almonds, apples, avocados, blackberries, blueberries, broccoli, carrots, cherries, cucumbers, onions, peaches and soybeans.

Although they are an essential part of crop production, the impact of the honeybee pollination on human beings is not a matter of life or death, Delaplane said.

“More human calories are supplied by wind-pollinated cereals like wheat and rice,” he said. “However, when economies improve we see an increase in the consumption of meat and dairy products and bee-pollinated fruits like melons and berries.”

A comparative example is the difference in U.S. diets and those in countries like Sudan, he said. “That difference is largely explained by bee-pollinated crops,” he said.

While there are other bee pollinators, honeybees are the most prolific and easiest to manage for the large scale pollination the agriculture industry requires. In California, the almond crop alone needs 1.3 million bee colonies, about half of all honey bees in the country.

The number of managed bee colonies has dropped from five million in the 1940s to half that number today. To meet demand, commercial beekeepers truck bees to provide pollination services.

In addition to UGA, the institutions participating in the grant project are Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station, Cornell University, Illinois Natural History Survey, North Carolina State University, Kentucky State University, Michigan State University, Penn State University, Purdue University, University of California-Riverside, University of Maine, University of Massachusetts, University of Minnesota, University of Nebraska, University of Tennessee, USDA ARS Weslaco, Texas and Washington State University.

by April Sorrow
University of Georgia

April Sorrow is a news editor with the University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences.

Headless fire ants can't bite

If you’ve ever been stung by a fire ant, you probably wished they’d all get sick and their heads would fall off. Agricultural scientists are working to do just that.

Scientists at the University of Georgia, the USDA-ARS in Gainesville, Fla., and other universities in the Southeast are releasing parasitic flies with the hopes of reducing the fire ant population in the South.

Didn't bring their enemies

“Fire ants came from Brazil and Argentina,” said Wayne Gardner, an entomologist with the UGA College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences. “Unfortunately for us, they didn’t bring their 30 to 50 natural enemies with them.”

When a new species becomes an invasive pest, like the fire ant, controlling it is like “constantly playing catch up,” he said.

USDA scientists are coordinating the release of phorid flies to sites in southeastern states, including Georgia. The flies, which are smaller than gnats, come from areas in South America where fire ants are native.

“They rear the flies in their laboratory and provide them to cooperators in the individual states,” Gardner said. “The flies are then strategically introduced to sites in each state.”
Off with their heads

The female fly stings the ant and lays an egg inside her body. “It’s a painful sting,” Gardner said. “You can tell by the way the ant goes into contortions.”

The egg hatches in the ant, and the larva grows and develops inside the body. “When the larva hatches, it eats the ant from the inside out and the ant’s head falls off,” said Gardner. “It’s basically a decapitating fly, which is amazing.”

Gardner and his UGA colleagues have used natural enemies to fight insect pests for 15 years. “It’s not as easy as just finding a natural enemy of the ant and bringing it here,” he said. “It takes time and resources to go into their native range, collect and study them and get a point where we know it’s safe to introduce them here.”

The scientists are testing the effectiveness of nine species of parasitic flies. Each species attacks different size ants and at different times of day.

Cuts their appetites

“The flies definitely kill fire ants, but they actually cause more harm to fire ant populations by looking for ants to sting,” Gardner said. “The ants sense the wing beat of the adult flies, know that their enemies are in the area and quit foraging.”

When the ants stop foraging, the colony weakens.

Gardner’s team has introduced two species in at least 6 sites in central and south Georgia. They are also seeing flies spread into northern, western and southern counties from releases made in the bordering states of Tennessee, Alabama and Florida.

The researchers don’t expect the flies to solve the fire ant problem in the South. “Will we see areas that are totally devoid of fire ants?” Gardner said. “No, but we may see one mound instead of 10 in a row.”

by Sharon Omahen
University of Georgia

Sharon Omahen is a news editor with the University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences.