Tomato Salmonella Outbreak

[Luba]

AFP: Tomato salmonella outbreak hits 167 people in US

At least 167 people have been infected with salmonella from tainted tomatoes across 17 US states...

[Vautrin]

This line struck me

On Monday McDonald's said it had received no reports of illness among its customers.

Other than that, I really don't see what the fuss is about, considering that quite a few products are sold with salmonella in it. Chicken is probably the most consumed of those.

As for the industry complaining, they should look at their own practices first, before anything else.

[PepsiChic]

we get foot and mouth, bird flu and mad cow disease

thats just an extra ontop of the things like salmonella. :/

still i hope the people fallen ill get better soon.

[Vautrin]

Mad Cow disease seems to be the making of human's though.

As for some of the other diseases listed, there are vaccins available. But for some economic reason, the slaughter of millions of animals is more "efficient" than actually protecting the animals against sickness.

Another reason why I refuse to eat meat.

[Duke]

Mad Cow disease was directly linked to Farmers cheeping out on Cow Feed and giving them food with meat and meat byproducts in them. Cows are not carnivores so they do not have the capacity to properly digest meat byproducts.

I know that Wendy's in Canada has stopped using tomatoes in all their burgers and I'm assuming their salads as well.

[TKDLady]

The Wendy's near where I work doesn't have them either. They are still in the grocery stores though so why don't they buy them there until the reason for the outbreak is more clear? Unless, of course, the reason is because of the poor sanitary practices at some of these fast food places.

[Scott]

I'm glad I'm growing my own tomatoes

[Duke]

Originally Posted by TKDLady

The Wendy's near where I work doesn't have them either. They are still in the grocery stores though so why don't they buy them there until the reason for the outbreak is more clear? Unless, of course, the reason is because of the poor sanitary practices at some of these fast food places.

Fast food restaurants aren't known for purchasing fresh produce from anywhere really. Everything they get is likely set down in each franchises policy as I'm sure supplier shopping would result in losing price breaks established suppliers.

[TKDLady]

I realize that but in the short term if an employee runs to the supermarket and picks up a few, who is to know? I am sure it is just easier to go without.

[Duke]

I've never worked a fast food restaurants so don't quote me but I imagine you'd have to pick up a few boxes of tomatoes to get through even one day.

The tomatoes even locally have just sucked the past few months around here so we're all suffering really. It took me over 10 minutes just to find 3 tomatoes I could live with and now their over-ripening in my fridge because they are just too unappealing to eat.

[TKDLady]

I hear you.

[PepsiChic]

its not cost efficient for fast food places to buy tomatoes from a supermarket, the quantity they'd have to buy would cost them a fortune, so they'd rather just go without and still charge you the same amount of money for your salad, with or without the tomatoes.