Colorado is one of 16 states where people have reported getting sick with salmonella poisoning after eating raw red tomatoes.
The source of the tomatoes responsible for the illnesses has not been pinpointed, according to the Food and Drug Administration.
The FDA is advising consumers to avoid Roma and red round field-grown tomatoes. However, other tomatoes do not seem to be a problem, including cherry tomatoes, grape tomatoes, tomatoes sold with the vine still attached and homegrown tomatoes, the agency said Saturday.
Since mid-April, investigators have linked 145 cases of an uncommon form of salmonella poisoning nationwide to tainted tomatoes.
In addition to Colorado, other states with outbreaks are Arizona, California, Connecticut, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Oregon, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington and Wisconsin.
Texas and New Mexico have been the hardest hit, with 56 cases in Texas and 55 in New Mexico tied to raw, uncooked tomatoes.
At least 23 people have been hospitalized, but no deaths have been reported. Patients ranged in age from 1 to 82.
Salmonella can be life-threatening for the children, the elderly and those with weakened immune systems, the FDA said. The bacteria lives in the intestinal tracts of humans and animals, usually transmitted by animal feces on food.
Most infected people suffer fever, diarrhea and abdominal cramps starting 12 to 72 hours after infection.
Albertsons has pulled all Roma and red round field-grown tomatoes from its stores in Colorado, Arizona, New Mexico and El Paso, Texas, “out of an abundance of caution,” a company spokeswoman said.
Albertson’s posted a sign in stores urging customers with concerns to call the FDA at 888-INFO-FDA, or visit .
