You Say Tomato
By Kim Heung-sook
America seems frightened again, this time by tomatoes. The Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have issued warnings against red round tomatoes, red Roma and red plum that may cause salmonella infection bringing diarrhea, fever, abdominal pain and cramps for several days.
Since April as of Thursday, 383 persons infected with Salmonella Saintpaul, an uncommon type of salmonella, have been identified in 30 states and the District of Columbia. The people's ages range from 1 to 88 years. At least 48 hospitalizations have been reported. None have died although the infection may have contributed to the death of a cancer patient in his sixties in Texas.
For a Korean observer, the ongoing tomato scare means more than jitters about food poisoning. It offers a moment of envy and admiration by demonstrating how sincere and dedicated the U.S. government is to protecting the nation's health.
FDA and CDC have posted ways to prevent the bacteria infection, informing the public that salmonellosis can be prevented just by taking basic precautions in preparing and eating food. Their advice is detailed: Don't eat raw or undercooked eggs, poultry, or meat. Poultry and meat, including hamburgers, should be well-cooked, not pink in the middle. Don't consume raw or unpasteurized milk or other dairy products. Produce should be thoroughly washed.
Raw eggs may be unrecognized in some foods, such as homemade Hollandaise sauce, Caesar and other homemade salad dressings, tiramisu, homemade ice cream, homemade mayonnaise, cookie dough and frostings. There are many more paragraphs on what to do and what not to.
FDA's ``Advice for Retailers, Restaurateurs and Food Service Operators,'' presents sources that are not associated with salmonella outbreak. The long list includes 40 U.S. States in alphabetical order from Alabama to Wisconsin, and eight overseas locations from Belgium to Puerto Rico.
As I often begin my day with a glass of freshly squeezed tomato juice, I wonder why the list doesn't have Korea or other Asian countries. Perhaps, the United States doesn't import tomatoes from Asia.
America's food business responded eagerly to the government's move. McDonald's, Taco Bell, Burger King, Wendy's and other food chains have pulled tomatoes from their sandwiches, burgers and salsas in their U.S. stores. Safeway, Ralphs, Whole Foods and other supermarkets have removed the golden apples from their shelves. It is noteworthy that these actions were taken voluntarily.
It is not the first time that the tomato became a national concern in America. FDA launched a ``Tomato Safety Initiative" in the summer of last year, and has been continuing the campaign since last March, combining its efforts with those of state health and agriculture departments and universities and industry.
Since 1990, 13 tomato-related outbreaks have reportedly occurred in the U.S. and the year 2004 had the most cases of over 500. In a separate yet more shocking food poisoning, three people died due to spinach contaminated with E. coli bacteria in 2006. These figures won't make any headline in many other countries, but they apparently do in America in spite of its population of 304 million.
As an observer from a country where tens of thousand citizens have been sitting on the candle-lit streets to protest their government that weighs people's health after political and economic considerations, I agree that the U.S. government is somewhat over-reacting. Still, I can't laugh at its seeming fussiness but instead feel a sense of admiration for its endeavor. To say the least, I can clearly see the reason why my own government was defeated in its beef trade negotiations with Washington in April.
I feel uncomfortable as I think about the possible election of a Democrat as U.S. president, who will apparently pay more attention to his people's wellness. At the same time, I am curious to know how such a devoted government maintains a flawed health care system as exposed in Michael Moore's documentary, ``Sicko." Unless the Oscar-winning director makes an expose of hidden truth, if any, of the tomato scare, I won't stop respecting the U.S. government's service to its people. Lucky you, America!