Found a pretty useful article. Thanks to Kathy Warwick for some great tips to protect us from a salmonella infection.

There are many posts in this blog about salmonella tainted tomatoes. But the article does a good job of covering the basics. So, I have listed the details again.

A little information on Salmonella and the strain of salmonella that infects tomatoes. 

The salmonella family includes more than 2,300 different strains that live in the intestinal tracts of animals and people and may easily be transferred to food and water. Salmonella is the most common cause of food-borne illness or “food poisoning.” The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports 1.4 million cases are reported annually, and many cases may not be reported. The particular strain associated with this summer’s outbreak was a rare type of salmonella making it more difficult for officials to track down the source. Food can be contaminated with salmonella, but the appearance, taste or smell may not be affected.

How does Salmonella infection spread?

Salmonella is usually transmitted to humans when food is contaminated by water or hands that have been in contact with feces. Any raw food of animal origin, such as meats, poultry, eggs and seafood, should be cooked thoroughly to kill the bacteria. Raw milk goes through pasteurization to make it safe, and eggs for commercial and hospital use may also be pasteurized.

Guidelines to prevent Salmonella infection:

Frequent hand washing is critical to prevent the spread of salmonella when preparing or serving food. Experts recommend the use of several different cutting boards so that raw meats and juices do not come in contact with vegetables or fruits during meal preparation. The cutting board or container used to hold raw meats should not be used again for cooked meats. If you marinate raw meats before cooking, never baste the meat with marinade it was soaked in. Wash all utensils and knives with hot, soapy water before moving to the next food item. Use disposable paper towels and disinfecting cleanser instead of a sponge for kitchen cleaning. Refrigerate or freeze cooked foods within an hour or two, and reheat leftovers to 165 degrees before eating.