Tomato question??!
I have heard a rumor that the cause of the salmonella outbreak is that they are using human waste for fertilizer on tomatoes!. Is that true!?!?!? I have looked on the internet and I haven't seen anything about it!. I know salmonella is caused from animal waste, and is carried through human waste!.
Has anyone heard this rumor!?!?!?Www@FoodAQ@Com
Has anyone heard this rumor!?!?!?Www@FoodAQ@Com
Answers:
that's exactly what it is: a rumor!.!.!. as someone who works in a produce department of a national "health food" grocery store i get asked this all the time!.!.!. consider just the logistics of it: commercial fruits and veggies are mainly grown in the country, even the indoor ones, so can you imagine having to truck in all of that human waste!? and what about the numbers!? cattle poop how much in a day!? i sure bet it beats me, even on a busy day!.!.!. and where do cattle live!? mainly in the country!.!.!.
the problem(s) lie mainly in harvesting when we (in the USA and Mexico) don't provide workers w/facilities to relieve themselves, or we don't provide the proper training in packing houses on sanitation or we ourselves never wash these items when we take them home!.!.!. every time i see someone eating grapes (even the organic ones, duh) right out of the bag or a strawberry straight from a clamshell since both of these are packed in the field, i have to grimace, especially when they let their little darlings have some as well!.!.!.
it really comes down to any urban myth; someone's grandma was down in mexico and saw how dirty it was!.!.!. i always hear this, usually from someone who doesn't like brown people!.!.!. does anyone remember the e!. coli outbreak at chi chi's!? supposedly caused by scallions (green onions) from mexico!? actually caused by lettuce mix from california!.!.!. the e!. coli outbreak w/spinach!? from california!.!.!. just wash your stuff and quit eating out of my grape bags (and leaving your cherry pits all over the department, sickos)!.Www@FoodAQ@Com
the problem(s) lie mainly in harvesting when we (in the USA and Mexico) don't provide workers w/facilities to relieve themselves, or we don't provide the proper training in packing houses on sanitation or we ourselves never wash these items when we take them home!.!.!. every time i see someone eating grapes (even the organic ones, duh) right out of the bag or a strawberry straight from a clamshell since both of these are packed in the field, i have to grimace, especially when they let their little darlings have some as well!.!.!.
it really comes down to any urban myth; someone's grandma was down in mexico and saw how dirty it was!.!.!. i always hear this, usually from someone who doesn't like brown people!.!.!. does anyone remember the e!. coli outbreak at chi chi's!? supposedly caused by scallions (green onions) from mexico!? actually caused by lettuce mix from california!.!.!. the e!. coli outbreak w/spinach!? from california!.!.!. just wash your stuff and quit eating out of my grape bags (and leaving your cherry pits all over the department, sickos)!.Www@FoodAQ@Com
It's possible!. Salmonella can be transmitted human or four-legged animals!. That was part of the issue with the spinach fiasco a while ago!. You can safely eat your tomatoes in commercially prepared salsa (e!.g!., Pace) or you can wash the outside of your tomato really, Really, REALLY well!. The salmonella is only on the skin of the tomato which is also where you find most of your pesticides as well so washing your veggies thouroughly is a good idea all of the time!.Www@FoodAQ@Com
No I haven't!.!.!.but it wouldn't surprise!. It is not safe to eat raw tomatoes now, but if you cook them, they should be ok!. Salmonella cannot survive at 140 degrees or higher!.Www@FoodAQ@Com