Food Sciences Expert Offers Perspectives on Salmonella Poisoning
Contact: Al Bushway, 581-1629; George Manlove, 581-3756
ORONO — First, the Federal Food and Drug Administration suspected raw tomatoes. Then it added jalapeno peppers, cilantro and serrano peppers — the raw ingredients for salsa — to the list of possible sources of the current salmonella food poisoning outbreaks in 41 states, including Maine.
More than 1,000 people nationwide have become sick from salmonella poisoning since the outbreak began in April, and the FDA apparently is no closer today to isolating a cause than it was three months ago. The Centers for Disease Control on Wednesday implicated raw jalapeno peppers in two clusters of salmonella poisoning.
Should consumers in Maine steer clear of the items the FDA considers possible salmonella sources? That’s not necessary, according to UMaine food science and human nutrition professor Al Bushway, who has food-safety expertise.
Bushway does have advice for consumers. He is available to offer perspectives on foodborne illnesses, including salmonella poisoning.
Salmonellosis, the infection caused by infected food products or unsanitary food preparation areas, has been traced to dairy products, chicken and poultry products, cantaloupe, bean sprouts and other fruits and vegetables, and also unsanitary crop irrigation systems and food preparation areas.
Bushway says proper cooking of food can kill salmonella, and sometimes — but not always, he cautions — washing fresh vegetables in a dilute chlorine-water mix, or other approved sanitizer, can help.
As for salsa, Bushway says varieties that have been commercially heat-processed and are sold at room temperature are safe. Fresh salsas sold as refrigerated products could be of greater concern. But, Bushway notes, evidence is lacking to condemn any of the foods on the FDA list. Currently, the FDA is recommending that all consumers purchase tomatoes from areas that are harvested from cleared areas.
“The FDA doesn’t have a real handle on what the source of the salmonella is,” he says.
Symptoms of salmonella poisoning include diarrhea, fever, and stomach cramps 12 to 72 hours after infection. Symptoms usually last 4-7 days, and most healthy people recover without treatment. Older people, infants, and those with impaired immune systems are more likely to have a severe illness.
For more information, Bushway can be reached by telephone at (207) 581-1629.