New York.– The Food and Drug Administration released more information on the outbreak of Salmonella associated with consumption of raw red tomatoes on its website and declared that tomatoes from 12 states and countries, including the Dominican Republic, are safe to eat.

The FDA said tomatoes from California, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Texas, Belgium, Canada, Dominican Republic, Guatemala, Israel, Netherlands, and Puerto Rico were not involved in the outbreak.

Not on the safe list is New Mexico where the state department of health reported on June 4 that forty New Mexicans had fallen ill after eating raw red tomatoes in ten counties including Bernalillo, Cibola, Curry, Dona Ana, McKinley, Otero, San Juan, Grant, Sandoval, Socorro counties.

Texas has ended up becoming the biggest victim of the ongoing salmonella outbreak. The Department of State Health Services issued a statement on June 6 confirming that 56 cases had been reported in the state since mid-April.

Nationwide, the outbreak has hit at least 124 people. FDA recommended that "New Mexico and Texas retailers, restaurateurs, and food service operators offer only fresh and fresh cut red Roma, red plum, and round red tomatoes and food products made from these tomatoes for sale or service from the sources listed above." and that "retailers, restaurateurs, and food service operators continue to offer cherry tomatoes, grape tomatoes, and tomatoes sold with the vine still attached, from any source."

In response to the outbreak, the FDA recommended "consumers in New Mexico and Texas should limit their tomato consumption to those that are not the likely source of this outbreak" including cherry tomatoes; grape tomatoes; tomatoes sold with the vine still attached; tomatoes grown at home; and raw red Roma, red plum, and round red tomatoes from the sources which are known to provide safe tomatoes.”

Salmonella can cause fever, diarrhea and abdominal cramps 12 to 74 hours after infection and the illness lasts often 4 to 7 days. Most people recover without treatment.  The pathogens are more of a risk to those who are young, old or those whose immune systems are comprised.  An estimated 40,000 cases of salmonella infection are reported each year in the United States.