Salmonella

[82Rigger]

I don't know a lot about the "commerce" end of the produce industry.

But it seems to me that it's taking too long to find the source of the contaminated tomatoes.

And the longer it takes, the more people that get sick.

Merchandise that has a bar code can be reverse-traced to its source via computer within minutes or hours at the most.

Why can't produce growers be required to do this?

IF IT DOESN'T HAVE A BAR CODE, THEN IT DOESN'T GO ANYWHERE.

What do ya'll think needs to happen to fix this problem?


Steve

[sn-e3]

only buy american produce

[reconeil]

Since salmonella isn't part of the normal growing process in plants or raising of chickens or
cattle (all other animals also) and tranferred or transmitted to products by man,...noticed
something very interesting about such when last visiting Italy. Same was posted before,
but apparently got lost with one of the strange: "Database Loses" occcuring.

Regardless, what truly impressed me and should be of great interest regarding salmonella
contamination, occured while shopping with cousins in a very large Italian Supermarket.
Noticed that besides rolls of plastic bags available by loose produce sections, there were
also rolls of tear-off plastic gloves available that MUST BE USED before handling or
inspecting any loose fruits or vegetables.

Steve, the point trying to get across is that mandating rubber or plastic gloves for handling
all edibles from picking, stocking and by the actual buyers (squeezers, feelers & multiple
handlers also) of any edibles,...certainly couldn't hurt keeping Salmonella Outbreaks (having
become quite common nowadays) to a bare minimum. What do you think?

Neil

[82Rigger]

Neil,

Rubber gloves (if PROPERLY used and disposed), should certainly help stop the contamination via handling.

Also, here in Florida we've recently had consumers being bitten and stung by insects that come with the produce. Gloves may help with that also.

But if the produce is contaminated at the SOURCE, then we have to have a way to quickly back-trace it.

Three or four counties in Florida have yet to be cleared for safe tomatoes, so as it stands right now, the source COULD be WITHIN the U.S.

Also, what if it were not Salmonella stpaul, but something else, like typhoid from a flooded river or something. That could happen within the U.S.

I'm not certain that U.S. growers can supply the entire United States with tomatoes, or some other produce.

Steve

[Keith_Hixson]

Put a tablespoon of bleach per gallon of water and soak your tomatoes for five minutes then wash then and then dry them with a clean cloth. Takes care of the problem. No more disease. Its just takes a few minutes. Wash all vegetables from the Super Market that way and it will solve a whole bunch of problems.
Just like Cooking Meat to a high enough temp to kill the germs, the same thing applies to vegetables. Use the proper precautions.

Most of these tomatoes are: "Organic tomatoes, using manure as fertilizer. They liquefy it and spray it on the ground but of course sometimes it gets on the plants. If the manure based fertilizer hasn't been cooked (sterilized) then disease is transmitted. So, we must take precaution and more precaution when eating organic.

Keith

[reconeil]

First-off, Thank You Very Much for that: "Tablespoon of bleach..." suggestion.
Makes a-helluva-a-lot-of-sense, and certainly easy enough to do.

Regardless, and while on this: "Cleanliness is next to Godliness" vein betwixt or between
We Great Scientific Minds (actually Good Common Sense minds),...got an email awhile
ago about similarly great cleanliness attributes of peroxide.

Therefore, I figure that if 1/2 & 1/2 solution of peroxide & water spray works just as safely
for cleaning ones mouth or a cutting board of any bacteria, why not spray such on edibles
and rinse off before eating raw or cooking same? Certainly couldn't hurt.
Hell,...beside sanitizing such even makes breath smell fresh when used as a mouth wash.

Neil

[Keith_Hixson]

These organic vegetable are great eating but you have to take extra precautions with them if you are going to eat them raw. If folks use common sense then they can avoid most sickness.
The Hydrogen Peroxide solution is also a great idea. Just wash those raw vegies.

Keith

[b3196]

Keith
Got a great recipe for salmonella
1. Salmon steak
1 lemon (peeled)
1 tbs of vanella (sp)
Thats how they got the name Salmon-ella
We had it on the grill last night....it was great!!!!

[reconeil]

Chu-one-sick-puppy.

Still, doesn't sound all that bad,...
even though I'm more of a Salmon Oreganato type.

Ever had it like so? Try it some time.
Still can use lemon.

Neil

[Keith_Hixson]

I heard it was an edible fish.

Keith