This summerrr…

Just when you thought it was safe to go back to the fruit stand…

A new menace is coming to your town when you least expect it…

It’s not the summer horror matinee, it’s what’s in the pico de gallo!  I’m sorry to report but KILLER TOMATOES ARE ON THE LOOSE!!!

Tomatoes tainted with Salmonella have been detected in Texas and New Mexico.  An FDA update on the outbreak can be found here.

Ever had Salmonella poisoning?  If not, be glad.  It’s a bacterial infection that lives in the intestinal tracts of humans and other animals.  That means the infection gets to you if whatever you’ve just eaten had, at some point, come in contact with animal (gulp) FECES!  BARF!!!

Most infected people suffer fever, diarrhea and abdominal cramps starting 12-72 hours after infection.  The illness tends to last four to seven days but don’t freak out TOO much, most recover without treatment… you just lose 10 pounds and feel incredibly weak.

This is NOT a recommended form of weight loss.  Severe infection can cause death in infants and adults with weakened immune systems.  According to the CDC, about 300 people die from Salmonella poisoning per year.

Check your state for outbreak information and don’t eat anything with feces on it - wash it first with a drop of white vinegar.

Photo by peeperita.