In case you were wondering about that – here is your answer! Thanks to the Green Routine for some real good information.

…tomatoes can harbor Salmonella bacteria on their surface, and in rare cases within the tomato. So how does the bacteria end up in the tomato?

As it turns out, there are countless numbers of ways for Salmonella to spread on a farm. Most commonly Salmonella spreads into irrigation water supplies used for irrigation of crops from nearby livestock farms. The bacteria can also be spread by wild animals infected by the bacteria or by vegetables being processed on shared equipment. Contamination of crops is also common during flood conditions, such as those currently plaguing the mid-west

If you don’t want to block tomatoes out of your diet here are some tips on how to avoid eating a salmonella-infected tomato.

So what can I do?

There’s not much you can do to prevent Salmonella in tomatoes or other vegetables you may purchase at the grocery store. While I would love to recommend purchasing organic tomatoes, they are just as susceptible to Salmonella as non-organic vegetables. However, I do have a couple of suggestions.

Buy local if possible

If you have a local farmer’s market, get to know your local farmers. He or she may be able to assure you of his farms bio-security, which is a fancy term for ensuring that there aren’t any sick animals on or in the vicinity of the farm. Smaller farms may have more control of their product from end to end. Finally, there is the face to face factor – do you trust the farmer when he says “there is no Salmonella in his tomatoes?”

Always wash your tomatoes, cook them if you are suspicious

Washing tomatoes before you eat them is always a good practice. While Salmonella is not likely to wash off, a rinse with water might remove trace amounts of it or other toxins from the vegetable. In situations where there is an outbreak of Salmonella in tomatoes, and you are reasonably sure your tomatoes are not affected, but want to be absolutely sure – cook them thoroughly. I might suggest turning them into chili or spaghetti sauce. If your tomatoes meet the criteria of the tomatoes reported in the outbreak – throw them in the garbage (do not compost, or throw them down a drain).

Salmonella can affect any type of farm product including dairy, vegetables, and meats. Get to know your local farmers at farmer’s markets and buy local when possible. Buying local is good for the environment and the local economy. Always wash your vegetables before you cut into them. When in doubt, cook the vegetable. When your vegetable is suspect – throw it out!