The tomato is a delicious vegetable that is full of nutrition and available year round. The French botanist Tournefort proved the Latin botanical name, Lycoperscicon esculentum, to the tomato.
The term translates into “wolfpeach.” Since the tomato is round and very luscious and the time considered being poisonous the name seemed very appropriate. The English word for tomato comes from the Spanish tomatl. The English erroneously thought that the tomato was poisonous because of their bright shiny colors. The different versions of the tomato being yellow and some small like cherries led the Europeans to believe that the tomato was a version of the deadly nightshade family.
The tomato is native to the new World discovered in the 1500 era by the famous explorer Cortez. The plant found growing in the garden of Montezuma led Cortez to bring the seeds back to Europeans. In the late 1800’s the well-known soup mogul Joseph Campbell started making condensed tomato soup, which set the company on the road to wealth, and further introducing the tomato to the public. The tomato being high in acidic content made it the prime candidate for canning. In the nineteenth century, the tomato was canned more than any other fruit.The Tomato Usages
The delicious looking tomato maybe eaten raw fresh from the garden or after it has chilled in the refrigerator. The tomato has many raw usages as well as being cooked in soups and sauces. Many times the tomato used in salads as it adds color and flavor to any salad. A well-stuffed tomato using such things as tuna salad or chicken salad makes a delightful summer entrée for any social event. The tomato often mashed up into sauces that are great for spaghetti, lasagna, and multiple other pasta dishes. The fresh tomato is fantastic in salsas used on about all foods. The tomato sold either fresh or canned has proven to be one of the best vegetables on the market for nutrition and vitamins. The tomato at one time was thought by the French to be stimulating aphrodisiacal properties that only their men could consume. The tomato at one time was only grown to be used as an ornament but today the tomato is eaten the world over in many delicious dishes both raw and cooked. In America, the tomato considered the number one vegetable eaten by consumers.Today’ Tomato in Trouble
The outbreak of Salmonella in tomatoes has caused the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) to send out an alarm that heard all across the United States. The CDC reports that as of June 5, 2008 over 810 persons across 36 states affected with Salmonella Poisoning by eating tomatoes. It seems that there is no evidence that the outbreak is over and the CDC at this point has not been able to pin point just where the tainted tomatoes are because of a common practice called “repacking.” The industry distribution centers have a practice of mixing the tomatoes in order to fill orders by their clients. The client may request that they only receive large red round tomatoes for an example leaving the distributors going through multiple shipments to fulfill the order. The distributors using several different boxes to fill the order from different parts of the country have inadvertently mixed the shipment destined for one location. The fact that the distribution centers have practiced this method for years in order to fill orders makes it impossible for the CDC to tract the tainted tomatoes. The tomatoes that contain the Salmonella then are coming from distribution centers not from a particular farm. The CDC claims that the “Food Poisoning” scare ranks the largest in record for illnesses, and this tomato scare is now the highest to date. There has been a lot of illness from the tainted tomato but no recorded deaths to-date. The tainted tomato has affected small children to seniors with women being the most affected.Salmonella
Salmonella is a bacterial infection! The bacterial infection passed on to humans from domestic animals and wild animals. The normal salmonellapoisoning comes from poultry, pigs, cattle, and pets and usually improper handling of foods by the preparer. The bacterial infection maybe caused by drinking unpasteurized milk or by eating under cooked poultry products such as eggs. When other foods are prepared in an area contaminated by raw chicken or turkey then that food item tainted causing the human consumer to become sick. The fact is that some people are chronically infected but remain symptom free yet are capable of spreading the disease to others. The symptoms to watch out for in Salmonella poisoning consist of having a fever, abdominal pain, diarrhea, nausea and sometimes vomiting. These symptoms along with loss of appetite can last for days and are often confused with flu like symptoms. You should contact your physician or go to the emergency room if you believe that you have Salmonella poisoning.Eating the Safe Tomato
Since we are under a CDC warning concerning eating tomatoes we should be very careful where we find out tomatoes before we eat them. The safest is to grow your own tomatoes but the next best place to find your tomatoes at the area farmers market. Words of caution make sure that the tomatoes are coming from locally grown farmers not from out of state or a distribution center. The farmers market allows major grocery stores in the market with produce not locally grown for resale. It is reasonably safe to eat raw cherry tomatoes, grape tomatoes, or tomatoes with the vine still attached. The CDC requests that you avoid eating the raw red plum tomatoes, raw red Roma tomatoes, as these are among the list of tainted tomatoes.
Remember that washing the tomatoes does not prevent Salmonella because you cannot wash out the contagion. The cooking of the tomato does not prevent contamination either instead; it only helps to spread the bacteria to other kitchen utensils. The number one rule to remember is doing not eat any tomato that is damaged or has a broken skin. When you store your tomatoes do not place them in an area where they are in contact with any meats, poultry or eggs. Always wash your tomatoes under running water never in a sink full of water. Do not cut your tomatoes until after you have cleaned them, cut on a clean cutting board and afterwards make sure that you store any raw tomatoes or products made from raw tomatoes in the refrigerator. Enjoy eating your tomatoes; they are still a most enjoyable vegetable that is good for your health.
Read more: http://www.healthmad.com/health/you-say-tomato-i-say-tomatoe-the-cdc-says-salmonella
