What it must feel like to work for FDA these days. From drug and medical device woes to pet food and toothpaste contaminations, FDA is under heavy fire. Just trying to get some more money to do a more thorough job with food safety seems to be a chore.

The current Salmonella scare is never-ending, with 896 documented illnesses in 34 states, and the agency and scientists are now turning to vegetables/foods that would have been eaten with the tainted tomatoes, like say, in a salad. While they wouldn't indicate which vegetables are under their lazy eye, science tells us Salmonella buggers that haunt produce are drawn to fleshy varieties, say melons and cucumbers.

Epidemiology from New Mexico and Texas scientists shone the light on tomatoes, but after all the retailers and restaurants pulling tomatoes from the shelves and menus, it might not have been tomatoes after all?

CDC is conducting follow-up studies to see what other foods sickened people might have eaten with tomatoes, to see if there are any common denominators. Considering the amount of foods with or containing tomatoes that a person might eat in one day—burger, salsa, salad, taco, hoagie, pasta, pizza, etc.—officials might have a laborious hunt on their hands.

"Tomatoes aren't off the hook," said FDA Chief David Acheson. "There is clearly a need to think beyond tomatoes." He wouldn't out the other vegetables for fear of creating a panic.

Salmonella is animal-based bacteria, but it can find its way to farm produce via contaminated groundwater or even small animals such as birds or frogs. However, the outbreak might also be tied to the way tomatoes (or other veggies?) are packaged, shipped and stored in centralized locations.

As tomato sources from Florida to California, Mexico to Canada, came up clean, the feds noticed 80 percent of those stricken with Salmonella poisoning ate a certain types of fresh tomatoes. On the list of tomatoes FDA recommends consumers avoid are: raw red plum, red Roma or red round tomatoes, unless they were grown in specific states or countries that the agency has cleared of suspicion. Among the safe-to-eat varieties are grape tomatoes, cherry tomatoes and on-the-vine tomatoes.

Thoughts:

I wonder if this whole dragged-out tomato-Salmonella crisis will spark lycopene and probiotic supplement sales. Also, do bacteria compete on and in vegetables with other bacteria, as they do in the digestive tract? If so, would a probiotic spray help in the early stages of crop contamination? I understand once the contamination gets into the flesh, it's a goner, and I think there would be issues with survival of beneficial bacteria at regular air temperatures. Just kicking around some thoughts. Anyone with answers or ideas is welcome to share it.