Samples of fresh Georgia-grown jalapenos and salsa tested over the past week came back negative for salmonella. The state Department of Agriculture announced the results late Friday afternoon. Samples came from six Georgia farms and a Watkinsville producer of salsa that uses Georgia jalapenos. In a department press release, Agriculture Commissioner Tommy Irvin said “I hope news of our test results will encourage grocery stores and restaurants to start placing orders for these products again”. The testing in Georgia came in response to a blanket warning from the U.S Food and Drug Administration to avoid all products containing jalapenos. One pepper from a farm in Mexico had earlier tested positive for a salmonella strain. Over the past several weeks, more than 12-hundred people had been sickened by a salmonella strain.
Showing posts with label jalapenos. Show all posts
Showing posts with label jalapenos. Show all posts
Monday, July 28, 2008
Thursday, July 24, 2008
State jalapenos tested--update
State agriculture officials hope to declare Georgia-grown jalapenos safe to eat when the results of testing come back soon, possibly by Friday afternoon. Jalapeno-samples have been collected from farms across Georgia over the past week.
Federal investigators recently discovered a strain of salmonella on a single pepper from a Texas distributor. That prompted a nationwide warning to avoid buying or eating raw jalapeno or Serrano peppers.
State Agriculture Commissioner Tommy Irvin is not happy with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, and its approach to the warning and recall:
"That killed the market...that was overkill. One sample for the whole two nations--Mexico and the U.S--that’s ridiculous. ...we’ve got to get them to understand that when they(FDA)speak they need to have some validity about what they’re saying, but don’t overkill. (It's not good)for the consumer, and makes no market for the farmer".
Irvin says he doesn’t want Georgia’s jalapeno market to suffer like the tomato-market did, when the salmonella outbreak hit several weeks ago and sickened over 1,200 people in 43 states.
Irvin says test results on Georgia jalapenos could come-in as early as tomorrow afternoon, latest by Monday.
Federal investigators recently discovered a strain of salmonella on a single pepper from a Texas distributor. That prompted a nationwide warning to avoid buying or eating raw jalapeno or Serrano peppers.
State Agriculture Commissioner Tommy Irvin is not happy with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, and its approach to the warning and recall:
"That killed the market...that was overkill. One sample for the whole two nations--Mexico and the U.S--that’s ridiculous. ...we’ve got to get them to understand that when they(FDA)speak they need to have some validity about what they’re saying, but don’t overkill. (It's not good)for the consumer, and makes no market for the farmer".
Irvin says he doesn’t want Georgia’s jalapeno market to suffer like the tomato-market did, when the salmonella outbreak hit several weeks ago and sickened over 1,200 people in 43 states.
Irvin says test results on Georgia jalapenos could come-in as early as tomorrow afternoon, latest by Monday.
State Ag officials testing Georgia jalapenos
State agriculture officials want Georgians to know that jalapenos grown in the state are most likely safe to eat. Department officials will collect samples from Georgia farms and run testing, with the results of those tests ready by early next week. If shown to be safe, state agriculture commissioner Tommy Irvin wants grocery stores here to resume selling jalapenos. Earlier this week, federal officials said jalapenos that came through a Texas distribution center could be to blame for the recent nationwide salmonella outbreak. U.S Food and Drug Administration officials indicated raw jalapenos and Serrano peppers should not be sold or served.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)