Salmonella is an infection caused by the salmonella bacteria. It causes diarrhea, vomiting, fever and abdominal cramping. A person who becomes infected with the salmonella bacteria will usually get sick within 12 to 72 hours after exposure and the infection will last approximately three to seven days. Salmonella can cause severe dehydration, especially in the very young and the elderly. An outbreak of salmonella in 2008 was linked to tomatoes that were raised in Mexico.
The Source
Salmonella is usually contracted from meat such as pork, poultry or beef that has become contaminated with the bacteria. Animals that are contaminated usually do not show any signs or symptoms of the disease. Contaminated animals grazing in pastures close to fields of tomatoes eat the forage, which passes through their body and is eliminated.
Infected Waste
Waste that is eliminated from an animal that is infected with salmonella is also infected with the bacteria. This waste falls on the ground and into . This contaminates the nearby available water supply with the bacteria.
Infected Irrigation
In areas where there is not enough natural rainfall to properly water crops, it is common for farmers to irrigate their land. The most economical way for most of them to do this is to use a nearby water supply such as a river or a stream as their source. The water is usually sprayed upon the fields by a large sprayer. The water coats the plants and their fruits. If the water is infected with salmonella, it coats the plants and fruits with the bacteria during the watering process. The bacteria then begin to grow on the fruit.
Dirty Fruit
Fruit that is infected with salmonella can be washed before eating to remove most of the bacteria. There are also special fruit washes you can buy to clean the fruit. This is an effective method of removing the bacteria; however, the problem remains if the skin of the fruit has been punctured during harvesting or transporting. This break in the fruit's natural protective barrier allows the bacteria to contaminate the interior of the fruit, where it cannot be removed by washing.
Washing Hands
Salmonella bacteria can also be spread by plant workers or harvesters who have the bacteria on their hands. They may contract the bacteria by washing their hands in nearby streams while they are harvesting the fruit.
USDA Regulations
Due to the recent outbreaks of salmonella, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has begun to monitor and inspect foods closely for possible salmonella contamination. Any contaminated fruits found will cause an immediate ban on any produce harvested from the vicinity of the outbreak.
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