McDonald’s, Wal-Mart and other U.S. chains have halted sales of some raw tomatoes as federal health officials work to trace the source of a multistate salmonella food-poisoning outbreak.
Denver-based Chipotle Mexican Grill and Quizno’s, Burger King, Outback Steakhouse and Taco Bell were among other restaurants voluntarily withdrawing tomatoes from their menus, following federal recommendations that consumers avoid red plum, red Roma and round red tomatoes unless they were grown in certain states and countries.
McDonald’s, the world’s largest hamburger chain, has stopped serving sliced tomatoes on its sandwiches as a precaution until the source of the bacterial infection is known, according to a statement Monday from spokeswoman Danya Proud. McDonald’s will continue serving grape tomatoes in its salads because no problems have been linked to that variety, she said.
The source of the tomatoes responsible for the illnesses in at least 16 states has not been pinpointed. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has said at least 23 people have been hospitalized; no deaths have been reported.
In Chicago, travel agent Connie Semaitis, 49, bought a cheeseburger and a drink at a McDonald’s during lunch hour Monday. She said she was happy the chain was being cautious. “I’d rather be safe than sorry,” Semaitis said.
The Food and Drug Administration warned consumers in New Mexico and Texas as early as June 3 about the outbreak.
The agency expanded its warning during the weekend, and chains began voluntarily removing many red plum, red Roma and round red tomatoes from their shelves in response.
Cherry tomatoes, grape tomatoes, tomatoes sold with the vine still attached and homegrown tomatoes are probably not the source of the outbreak, federal officials said.
