As a kid growing up I wasn’t all that fond of eating fresh tomatoes. I don’t know why. I think it had more to do with the texture than the taste. My childhood running mate Bro Franco, on the other hand, loved ’em. Bro’s dad – we called him Big Tony – always had a well-kept planting of tomatoes beside their shed in the back yard on Eisenhower Drive. I can’t remember a summer when Big Tony’s tomato plants weren’t loaded with abundant fruit – at least until Bro would harvest more than his share of the vine-ripened delicacies for his summertime snacking.One of the things I remember most about Bro’s tomato overindulgence was how the inside of his mouth would actually break out in ulcers from the excessive acid consumption. The interior lining of his oral cavity would become sore and sensitive to the point where he would have to slack off of the tomatoes for a while and dine on wild plums if he could swipe some when Mr. Habeeb wasn’t looking.For years, I thought that was about the worst thing that could happen to a tomato eater. Then, last week, the Food and Drug Administration began alerting consumers that a salmonellosis outbreak was being linked to the consumption of raw red tomatoes and products containing raw red tomatoes. According to the FDA, the bacteria causing the illnesses – nearly 200 in about 2 months – are the uncommon serotype Saintpaul Salmonella. At least 23 hospitalizations have been reported. While 17 states have confirmed illnesses due to this outbreak, Texas is the state nearest to Mississippi on that list.So far, the FDA has not yet identified the source of the contaminated tomatoes and admit that the source may be even limited to a single grower or packer in a specific geographic area. The FDA along with the Center for Disease Control is working diligently to quickly determine the source of tomatoes associated with the outbreak.The FDA has ruled out numerous states and countries as a possible source. It is important to note Florida and California – where the majority of our country’s tomatoes are produced – are on that list. Mississippi is, too.Warren County residents hearing this news last week were calling the Extension office to ask if it is safe to eat tomatoes. For now, I am passing along the advice of the FDA. Avoid eating or handling raw red plum, raw red Roma and raw round red tomatoes unless they are from cleared sources. If consumers have tomatoes and are unsure of where they were grown or harvested, they are encouraged to contact the store where they bought the tomatoes.

Currently, consumers may continue to eat cherry tomatoes, grape tomatoes, tomatoes with the vine still attached and tomatoes grown at home – all of which do not appear to be involved in the outbreak.The bottom line is this: Rest easy and enjoy your Mississippi, home-grown tomatoes. Just don’t eat so many your mouth gets sore.

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John C. Coccaro is county Extension director. Write to him at 1100-C Grove St., Vicksburg, MS 39180 or call 601-636-5442. E-mail him at jcoccaro@ext.msstate.edu.