Tomatoes – Superfood Or Poison?

By Jo-Ann Heslin, MA, RD, CDN - Food and Nutrition Columnist - HealthNewsDigest.com

(HealthNewsDigest.com) - You’ve been told to eat tomatoes because they are rich in vitamin A, C, fiber, potassium, and anti-cancer substances. Then the FDA warns tomatoes may carry salmonella and make you ill. News headlines blare, “Don’t Eat Tomatoes.” Exactly where does this leave you?

Let’s use this latest tomato scare to understand why these things happen and how we can protect ourselves against getting ill. This is not the first tomato scare in the US. During the past 10 years, fresh tomatoes have been linked to 12 different outbreaks of foodborne illness with 1,840 confirmed cases. Many cases go unreported because most are short-lived and cause only minor discomfort. The actual estimate of cases could be as high as 30 times greater. Tomatoes are not the only culprit; actually they are a minor player in foodborne illness. You have a greater chance of ingesting salmonella bacteria from eating raw and undercooked meat, poultry, and eggs or from unpastuerized milk and cheese.

Salmonellosis it the infection linked to salmonella. It results in diarrhea, fever and stomach cramps which occur 12 to 72 hours after eating infected food and lasts approximately 4 to 7 days. More cases occur in the summer. Children, the elderly and those with a compromised immune system are in most need of medical treatment as their infections could be more severe. Healthy adults usually recover without treatment. Rest and ample fluids, to prevent dehydration, are the most effective treatment. Antibiotics are usually not needed because a number of types of salmonella have become antibiotic resistant. If you experience any of these symptoms you should see your doctor to confirm the cause and allow him to report the incidence to the local health department.

Reporting cases is important. This information helps local health departments, the CDC, FDA and USDA establish traceback information to control further outbreaks. Though our government agencies are understaffed, underfunded and stressed, they do respond well to crisis. With more funding they could do a better job of preventive surveillance, which is the key to less foodborne illness.

Back to tomatoes – should you be eating them? Initially residents in Texas and New Mexico were cautioned to avoid eating raw red plum, red Roma, and red round tomatoes. The caution was expanded nationwide a week later and by this week 200 cases of salmonellosis had been reported with 23 hospitalizations.

Recognize that over 50% of all fresh tomatoes available in grocery stores are not part of the FDA salmonella alert. Grape, cherry and tomatoes on the vine are safe to eat. Both chain restaurants, like Big Boy, as well as high-end restaurants, like Michael Jordon’s Steakhouse, have stopped using raw tomatoes in salads and on sandwiches to assure their customers’ safety. Many states and countries that produce red plum, red Roma and red round tomatoes are not part of the current alert. The list of safe suppliers and locals is available at: www.fda.gov/oc/opacom/hottopics/tomatoes,html#retailers. Home grown tomatoes, of all varieties, are safe.

Salmonella can be destroyed by cooking. If you have any raw tomatoes you are concerned about, simply add them to tomato sauce, stew or any other mixed dish and bring the dish to a rolling boil for at least a minute. The bacteria will be destroyed and the tomatoes will be perfectly safe to eat. Food processing also destroys bacteria. Canned diced and whole tomatoes, tomato soup, sauce, paste, salsa, juice, and ketchup are safe to eat. Processed tomatoes are actually richer in lycopene than fresh, enhancing their anti-cancer properties.

The threat of foodborne disease is an issue that government agencies, restaurants, suppliers and retailers deal with daily. Enhanced surveillance can reduce the threat, but it will never be eliminated. You can provide the best firewall for your family against foodborne disease by heeding alerts, such as the current one for tomatoes, and shopping, transporting, storing, and handling foods correctly. It may seem overly simple – keep cold foods cold; hot foods hot; and use clean utensils with clean hands in a clean kitchen to remarkably reduce your risk of foodborne illness.
© NRH Nutrition Consultants, Inc.