Salmonella traced to jalapeno

[DeBora4BobbyL]

Remember the tomatoes that were recalled due to salmonella? Well, the FDA has decided that it is linked to jalapenos in Texas. The stories are all over, but I wanted to post it here in case you don't see it elsewhere. I found the story here (http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5ijaaf9rEEqJFRI_zJo1YK8TYcBFgD922G9R01).

[Chef Mark]

Just goes to show how vegetables are not everything their cracked up to be.

Meanwhile, I've never heard of wine or cigarettes getting salmonella :) ;) :p

[barbszy]

Right you are, Chef Mark.

Chocolate and coffee also appear to be salmonella-free. But we've always known that those are Health Foods. :D

[Audrey]

Living in CA, I eat mexican food and salsa all of the time :(

[DeBora4BobbyL]

I eat fresh and canned jalapenos all the time and I am not going to stop. The FDA has already changed their minds about the tomatoes so I won't doubt they'll do this with jalapenos. I don't see how uncut veggies that have been properly washed would cause this problem.

Here is my prediction. They are going to trace the salmonella to cigarettes and the grapes they wine into. LOL

[barbszy]

Remember that the jalapenos in question are RAW ones. Once they are cooked/canned, they are fine to eat.

DeBora, I read yesterday that the tomato industry is considering suing the FDA for the loss they suffered.

I guess there is no way to completely ensure a safe food supply. We just all have to do the best we can with the food we choose to eat and how we prepare it, using basic food safety precautions.

[DeBora4BobbyL]

I went to the store yesterday and there were NO jalapenos! The raw ones are the best ones. Once they are canned, all the flavor and most of the heat is cooked out.

I still don't understand how tomatoes and jalapenos can get a bacteria if they still have stems on them and they aren't cut. Around here, jalapenos are a staple! I think people should make sure they wash their veggies before cutting into them and eating them.

The only time I've actually seen fresh veggies give people food poisoning is lettuce. But, the guy who worked at the factory was sick (I'll spare you the details) and he didn't wash his hands. Lettuce has layers and layers of leaves which held on to the bacteria. Everyone who ate at restaurants (and ate salads) that used this particular produce company became ill.

[Chef Mark]

I think that vegetables sometimes get infected from soil that's contaminated from other sources.

[DeBora4BobbyL]

Chef Mark, I hate to ask an ignorant question, but I just have to do it. lol How in the world does bacteria get into some of the fruits and not others? Is it possible for the fruit of a plant to absorb bacteria through photosynthesis?

[Bilby]

I knew there was a reason I didn't like those things, just confirms it LOL