Tuesday, August 12th, 2008

Mastronardi Produce Update Regarding Salmonella Saintpaul Outbreak

The salmonellosis outbreak from Salmonella Saintpaul that has hit much of the US since April 10 is tragic and a grave concern for both the general public and the tomato production industry. The outbreak does not appear to be over, but does appear to be diminishing. Our heartfelt thoughts and prayers are with the many people and their families who have become ill during these trying times. We wish everyone a healthy, quick and full recovery.

This tragic event has undoubtedly derailed consumer confidence in the food safety of tomatoes and left us all with a lot of unanswered questions. On Thursday, July 17 the FDA announced that they were lifting their advisory about any type of fresh tomato to consumers nationwide. The FDA now advises that consumers may enjoy all types of fresh tomatoes available in the domestic market, without concern of being infected with Salmonella Saintpaul.

It should be clear that consumers may enjoy any type of fresh tomato, including raw red plum, raw red Roma and raw red round tomatoes.

So far, the outbreak has been positively linked to two samples that tested positive for Salmonella Saintpaul from Jalapeno peppers and to one sample from Serrano peppers. The Jalapeno and Serrano peppers were sourced from farms in Mexico. The irrigation water of the farm in the state of Tamaulipas, Mexico that produced the Serrano peppers has also tested positive for Salmonella Saintpaul.

The new FDA advisory is to avoid eating raw (fresh) Jalapeno and Serrano peppers and foods that contain them that are sourced from Mexico. Canned, pickled and cooked Jalapeno or Serrano peppers from all geographic locations are not connected with the outbreak. Jalapeno and Serrano peppers grown in the US are not connected with the outbreak. Consumers are advised that they can eat raw US-sourced Jalapeno and Serrano peppers; and that they may consume all Jalapeno and Serrano peppers that are canned, pickled or cooked without concern of contamination. Consumers are further advised to pay attention to the country-of-origin labeling on packages and containers, or to speak with store managers to be clear about country of origin when making purchases of raw (fresh) Jalapeno or Serrano peppers or products that contain them.

It should be clear that Mastronardi Produce does not distribute Jalapeno or Serrano peppers.

For the many products that Mastronardi Produce does distribute, we have an unwavering commitment to food safety. We have a fully comprehensive Food Safety System that encompasses from farm to customer. Our Food Safety System is managed by a team of scientists that cover programs for Good Agricultural and Good Manufacturing Practices, Sanitation, Pest Control, Food Security, Food Defense, Microbiology and Post-Harvest Technology to name a few. We are one of the few companies in this industry that randomly tests our suppliers and products for E. coli, Listeria and Salmonella. We do this testing internally, and also use collaborating resource labs to confirm our test results. Additionally, our food safety system is audited annually by accredited and independent third-party audit firms. As part of Mastronardi’s Food Safety System, we have a robust labeling and traceability program that allows us to trace back produce to the source point at the time of packing.

And as a reminder, it is important to stress the need to always wash fresh produce with cool potable water just before it is consumed. This adds an extra measure of food-safety protection to the consumer. You should be doing this regardless of where you are purchasing your products.

We hope this information clarifies any concerns and gives you more peace of mind when purchasing and consuming our many products. And lastly, please be reminded that we are very committed to food safety and take food safety quite seriously. We do this because it is good for our business, it is good for our customers and it is good for our tomato product consumers - but most importantly it is the right thing to do.