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Tomato scare reflects global market challenges
United States
Friday 13 June 2008
Time was, fresh tomatoes were a late-summer treat in much of the United States, savored fresh-picked from the garden or from the produce vendor’s stall.
But in today’s global economy, American consumers can get tomatoes year-round, brought in overnight from places like Florida and California, from Mexico, Israel, Canada and the Netherlands. The imports might not always taste as good as the fresh-off-the vine garden tomatoes of memory, but at least they are reliably available. Accommodating Americans’ desire for out-of-season produce is likely at the root of the salmonella scare that has sickened at least 167 people in 17 states and possibly contributed to one death since mid-April. The Food and Drug Administration, which is responsible for the safety of produce and seafood, is homing in on the source of contaminated tomatoes. Mexico and Central Florida are considered to be the main suspects. With produce coming in from so many sources, safety oversight would be challenging even if the U.S. had tough food-protection rules and enforcement procedures. But that’s not the case. With a shortage of inspectors, the FDA is essentially a reactive force, issuing warnings and recalls after widespread problems surface. The effect of the salmonella scare and subsequent recall of certain types of tomatoes (Roma, plum or red round) has been devastating for the many domestic tomato growers who adhere to strict cleanliness guidelines to avoid salmonella and other contamination. Supermarkets have pulled the suspected types, and many restaurants have halted the use of all fresh tomatoes, just to be safe. Consumer confidence probably has been affected as well, with shoppers wondering if even the non-recalled types of tomatoes – such as grape, cherry and on-the-vine – are safe.The FDA has come up with what it calls a “food protection plan,” but the Bush administration has hesitated to seek funding for it – until this latest outbreak. Sen. Arlen Specter, R-Pa., said the administration’s delays in seeking funds for FDA food protection amounted to “criminal negligence,” and that the lack of inspections “is subjecting people to bodily injury and death.”Congress isn’t covered in glory, either. Funding for food-protection efforts amounts to a minuscule portion of the massive farm bill it is wrangling over with the administration. Something as basic as protecting the nation’s food supply shouldn’t be a partisan issue. It should be near the top of the priority list for all elected officials.
But in today’s global economy, American consumers can get tomatoes year-round, brought in overnight from places like Florida and California, from Mexico, Israel, Canada and the Netherlands. The imports might not always taste as good as the fresh-off-the vine garden tomatoes of memory, but at least they are reliably available. Accommodating Americans’ desire for out-of-season produce is likely at the root of the salmonella scare that has sickened at least 167 people in 17 states and possibly contributed to one death since mid-April. The Food and Drug Administration, which is responsible for the safety of produce and seafood, is homing in on the source of contaminated tomatoes. Mexico and Central Florida are considered to be the main suspects. With produce coming in from so many sources, safety oversight would be challenging even if the U.S. had tough food-protection rules and enforcement procedures. But that’s not the case. With a shortage of inspectors, the FDA is essentially a reactive force, issuing warnings and recalls after widespread problems surface. The effect of the salmonella scare and subsequent recall of certain types of tomatoes (Roma, plum or red round) has been devastating for the many domestic tomato growers who adhere to strict cleanliness guidelines to avoid salmonella and other contamination. Supermarkets have pulled the suspected types, and many restaurants have halted the use of all fresh tomatoes, just to be safe. Consumer confidence probably has been affected as well, with shoppers wondering if even the non-recalled types of tomatoes – such as grape, cherry and on-the-vine – are safe.The FDA has come up with what it calls a “food protection plan,” but the Bush administration has hesitated to seek funding for it – until this latest outbreak. Sen. Arlen Specter, R-Pa., said the administration’s delays in seeking funds for FDA food protection amounted to “criminal negligence,” and that the lack of inspections “is subjecting people to bodily injury and death.”Congress isn’t covered in glory, either. Funding for food-protection efforts amounts to a minuscule portion of the massive farm bill it is wrangling over with the administration. Something as basic as protecting the nation’s food supply shouldn’t be a partisan issue. It should be near the top of the priority list for all elected officials.
