Tomatoes are not the normal vector of the bacteria Shigella Flexneri, but infected workers handling raw fruits and vegetables like tomatoes (especially overripe and bruised) can transmit this severe but curable illness. Typically, this illness comes from eating unwashed or improperly washed raw vegetables that have been exposed to animal fecal matter.
It was only several years ago (2008, et al) that worries over raw tomatoes and Salmonella bacteria was in the news. It followed similar reports in the two years prior involving raw bagged spinach.
The usual suspects were fecal-borne contaminants in the irrigation water, or direct contact with feral animal spoors in the produce field. Commercial vegetable farms are fenced in such a way to prevent wild animals (deer, pigs, raccoon & possums, etc.) from gaining access to the fields not only to prevent crop loss but to stave off potential fecal-borne cross-contamination from their deposited spoors.
While going through one of my file cabinets this morning I came across a small clipping (circa 2006) from a local newspaper from when I lived in New York. The clipping contained an image that at the time meant something for me, but on the back side of this snippet of paper was a partial review of a widespread Shigella Flexneri outbreak that was current news in New York City at the time.
Some 900 customers in Nassau County (a suburban county of the New York Metropolitan Area, Long Island) contracted a diarrheal illness after having eaten a meal at one of several restaurants. The speed of which reported illnesses flooded health care was notable; most all within a 24-hour period.
Ingestion of the Shigella bacteria can lead to diarrhea, vomiting, stomach cramps and fever anywhere from one to two days after being exposed. Anyone confirmed to be infected should not prepare or handle food that is intended to be consumed by others, and caregivers for the ill person needs to follow careful hygiene routines to prevent further spread of the disease.
Several foods were associated with the reported illnesses, but the tomatoes had a high common denominator. The sick diners were diagnosed with having Shigella Flexneri, a gram-negative bacterium usually found in feces of animals.
The method of transmission is generally via consumption of unwashed or improperly cleaned raw contaminated foods although the transmission can progress to direct person-to-person contact such as via a handshake, or contact with infected surfaces like doorknobs, improperly washed cutlery, etc.
As it turned out from the investigation of what happened, a new supplier of produce was common to several of the restaurants reporting illnesses among their clientele. There was one produce supplier that had a worker in particular whom was found to test positive for the Shigella Flexneri bacterium. Here was the ‘Typhoid Mary’ carrier.
In the case of the personnel being the source of the outbreak, the conclusion of the investigation was a simple and logical one;
“...to prevent such outbreaks, persons with shigellosis should be excluded from handling food at all points along the distribution chain.”
And from me whom once in the mid-90s had gotten very sick from eating improperly washed commercially-packaged raw leafy vegetables I also add this missive to farmers, packagers and food handlers everywhere; wash your hands often -and take a bath once in awhile!
Easily treatable with common antibiotics. In fact, so common
that unless the case is severe or the patient is very young/very
old, often the health care practitioner will not issue antibiotics
...they do not want to risk creating a resistant strain of
bacteria. Would prefer that the patient 'get well' naturally... But
after a few days of diarrhea, fever and aches, gimme gimme gimme
drugs!
lots of the people who work in greenhouses and picking tomatoes
seasonally are transients, they dont have places to take baths.
Keep that in mind when you buy fruit and veges from the store...
and try to grow some of your own this year.
great article if not just a little scary! I eat loads of
packaged, pre-washed salad which I normally just tip from the bag
but it still could have been handled by several different people
before I eat it... think I will start washing it myself!
My grandma used to buy whole packaged raw chicken, and in the
sink basin with clean cool water and ONE DROP of Ivory brand Dish
Detergent, pre-wash the chicken (and rinse thoroughly, of course)
before stuffing and baking it. -The water turned a disgusting
color... not just the expected blood and stuff, but some form of
DIRT! On this note, I recall a study on packaged chicken sold in
the supermarkets and three major brand name pre-packaged chicken
(parts, not whole birds) were examined and the fluid that is
typically in the package was on all brands found to be on average
45% FECAL JUICES (poop and
urates -the latter being the solid equivalent of urine in birds!)
YUK!!
x
will be notified of your question.
Your question will also be posted as a public question in the Knoji forums, so be sure to phrase it as a general question that anyone could answer. Personal questions and private messages should be sent using the Message Me feature instead.
Confirm your recommendation
x
By making this recommendation, you are confirming that you would recommend thestickman to people you know as an expert in the topic Gastrointestinal Conditions.
Confirm and recommendCancel
You have used your question credit for today. Please wait until midnight today for your question credits to renew.
x
To maintain a high standard for new discussions started, each Knoji member is limited to a certain number of questions each day. Use your questions wisely, ask quality questions and you'll get quality answers.
Credits refresh at midnight US Central time, at which time you'll receive your next day's allotment of credits.
Oops, you haven't confirmed your email yet
x
We've sent an email to your registration email address. You'll need to click the link in that email before you can post stuff on Knoji.
Didn't get the email? First, try checking your spam inbox. If you can't find it, click here and we'll resend your confirmation link.
Please confirm your email address
xWe've sent a confirmation link to your email address. Please check your email and click the link to confirm to your account.
Didn't get the email? First, try checking your spam inbox. If you can't find it, click here and we'll resend your confirmation link.
Great! Here's a preview of your question.
x
We've sent a confirmation link to your registration email address. Please click this link to confirm your email.
Your question will not be posted publicly until you confirm your email.
Didn't get the email? First, try checking your spam inbox. If you can't find it, click here and we'll resend your confirmation link.
Your confirmation email has been resent
x
Please check your email (check your spam inbox too) and click on the link provided to confirm your account with Knoji.
You have received 0 answer votes on Knoji
x
When people like the answers you provide, they make a public acknowledgement by placing a vote for your answer. The more votes you accumulate on Knoji, the higher you move up in rank. Increased rank gives you increased capabilities, more perks and more expert cred around the site.
Answer questions nowLearn more about user levels
Oops, you're out of question credits for today!
x
We limit the number of questions members can ask on Knoji each day in order to improve the quality of questions and answers. Your question credits will reset each day at midnight US Central time, so come back then to ask more questions!
Contributors on Knoji are awarded Levels as they establish themselves as experts within the community. There are three ways in which users can increase their level, via writing articles or via answering questions, or both.
Level
Article Track
Answer Track
Combined Track
Abilities
Member
-
-
-
Can publish articles, ask and answer questions
Contributor
Successfully publish first article
Must earn +50 votes
Publish first article OR +50 answer votes
Eligible for revenue sharing. Access to Dashboard.
Expert
Must publish 10 consecutive articles
Must earn +200 votes
10 articles OR +200 answer votes
Self-publish and edit past articles. Increased compensation rate.
Guide
Must earn +500 recommendations
Must earn +1,000 votes
+250 article recommendations AND +500 answer votes
Increased earnings rate. Greater number of votes.
Authority
Must earn +1,000 recommendations
Must earn +5,000 votes
+500 article recommendations AND +2,500 answer votes
Increased earnings rate. Greater number of votes & question credits.
Pro
Must earn +5,000 recommendations
Must earn +10,000 votes
+2,500 article recommendations AND +5,000 answer votes
Increased earnings rate. Greater number of votes.
Master
Must earn +10,000 recommendations
Must earn +50,000 votes
+5,000 article recommendations AND +25,000 answer votes
Your primary job as an Ambassador is to kick off thoughtful discussion threads around products, services. Your discussions can be on any topic in Knoji's category system. Here are some examples of the types of discussions you'll be starting:
Requests for recommendations for any type of product or service, examples:
People on Knoji ask questions seeking recommendations for products and services. We encourage our community members to answer questions whenever you can make a useful recommendation towards any request.
When pointing to specific products, please link to specific product pages on Amazon.com or Walmart.com
UPDATE: Ambassadors earn bonuses for answering questions, however - only answers which include products links (as described above) will earn bonuses.
You should include screenshots of the products you recommend (Ambassadors: you earn increased rewards when doing this)
Try to recommend products that you've had personal experience with. If not, it is acceptable to recommend products or options based on thorough research you do online.
People on Knoji ask questions seeking recommendations for products and services. We encourage our community members to answer questions whenever you can make a useful recommendation towards any request.
When pointing to specific products, please link to specific product pages on Amazon.com or Walmart.com (Ambassadors: You earn increased rewards when doing this)
You should include screenshots of the products you recommend (Ambassadors: you earn increased rewards when doing this)
Try to recommend products that you've had personal experience with. If not, it is acceptable to recommend products or options based on thorough research you do online.
Asking questions
On Knoji, you can ask any question about any consumer or shopping-related topic. Many questions involve requests for recommendations for any type of product or service, examples:
x
To qualify as a working coupon, the link or code must provide a discount above and beyond what's freely available by default on the vendor's site.
To check this, first click the link and check that the coupon can be applied and does provide the discount described. Then, in a different browser, open the vendor's site (without using the Knoji link) and check whether that same discount is available to any user by default. If it's not, and the coupon works, then you've found a qualified coupon and can verify it and get your earnings. If not, you can verify that it does not work (explain why this is) and you'll earn a smaller credit.
Don't waste your time verifying invalid coupons! Before you receive payment, all your verifications will be reviewed, and if they are invalid, you earnings will be deleted. Verify only valid coupons in order to receive payment for this project.
Now you got me scared.