Many local grocery stores and restaurants stopped offering tomatoes earlier in the week as federal authorities searched for the source of a salmonella outbreak.
The Federal Drug Administration warned consumers Saturday that certain raw tomatoes – red plum, red Roma and round – could be linked to the bacteria that reportedly had infected 167 people in 17 states since April.
The FDA didn’t recall the tomatoes, but Greenwood area merchants weren’t taking any chances.
Grocery stores such as Market Place and Big Star – which both had gotten tomatoes from Mexico – pulled them from their shelves. They were replaced with Arkansas-raised tomatoes. Arkansas has been cleared by the FDA.
“We took those initial steps, just to be cautious,” said Charles McCoy, produce manager at Market Place.
Local fast food chains such as Taco Bell, Wendy’s, Burger King, McDonald’s and others also sliced tomatoes out of their menus, telling customers as much with signs hanging on drive-through speakers.
Restaurants such as The Crystal Grill and Giardina’s also took steps to ensure their customers’ health and safety.
Giardina’s pulled the tomatoes in question and began substituting cherry tomatoes,which aren’t suspected as the source of the outbreak.
Holland Heath, general manager of The Crystal Grill, said Sunday was the last day his restaurant served tomatoes – though salads still came with the harmless cherry tomatoes.
Wednesday afternoon Heath said he was checking with the state health department and with his provider to stay abreast of the situation.
“As soon as the health department gives me the OK, then I’m going to be wide open with them again,” Heath said.
That may be as early as today.
The source of the national outbreak hasn’t yet been located. But Mississippi has been cleared, said Andy Proffer, spokesman for the Mississippi Department of Agriculture.
“Mississippi has been cleared by the FDA, along with 19 other states,” Proffer said Wednesday. “We’re not under any FDA warning and never were.”
Proffer said buying local tomatoes is always the safest route to take, regardless of the situation.
“Locally grown tomatoes are always your best bet,” Proffer said. “Any time you can cut down on the number of truck rides and handlers, the better off and safer it’s going to be.”
Fresh Market and Deli was not affected by the scare for that reason.
“We try to buy as much produce as we can locally, so we don’t have to worry about that,” said chef Taylor Ricketts.
