Food poisoning outbreak linked to tomatoes

Seventeen people have been hospitalized in a salmonella food poisoning outbreak that was initially linked to uncooked tomatoes. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says it has traced 40 cases in Texas and New Mexico back to large, raw tomatoes.

The same genetic type of salmonella is also blamed for making 30 other people sick in seven other states. CDC investigators are trying to determine if tomatoes were the culprits in those states.

The epidemiologists say they are also trying to find any farm, distributor or grocery chain that can be identified as the main source for the bacterial infection. - wc