Salmonella outbreak impacts restaurants

Some stop serving tomatoes

MOSES LAKE - Tomatoes were temporarily removed from the offerings of some Moses Lake restaurants and stores after a multi-state salmonella outbreak.

One case of salmonella linked to tomatoes was reported in Washington state, according to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The outbreak reached 16 states so far with 145 cases since mid-April, according to the centers. States with the most cases are Texas, New Mexico and Illinois.

"The specific type and source of tomatoes is under investigation," according to the centers. "However, the data suggests that large tomatoes, including Roma and round red, are the source."

McDonald's spokeswoman Danya Proud said Monday the world's largest hamburger chain has stopped serving sliced tomatoes on all of its sandwiches in the United States as a precaution until the source of the salmonella is known.

Proud says McDonald's will continue to serve grape tomatoes in its salads because no problems have been linked to the variety.

Papa Murphy's, Jack in the Box, Taco Time, Taco del Mar and Burger King in Moses Lake are among other local restaurants who stopped serving tomatoes.

A sign at Moses Lake's Safeway informed customers Roma tomatoes are unavailable until further notice. Other varieties, including grape, cherry and tomatoes with vines still attached, were still offered for sale.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration recommends only cherry and grape tomatoes be sold, as well as tomatoes with an attached vine.

Other tomatoes still available for sale are raw red Roma, raw red plum and raw red round tomatoes grown and harvested in certain sources, according to the Food and Drug Administration.

Tomatoes from Arkansas, California, Georgia, Hawaii, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and Texas are not linked to the outbreak, according to the administration.

Tomatoes from the countries of Belgium, Canada, the Dominican Republic, Guatemala, Israel, Netherlands and Puerto Rico are not associated with the outbreak either, according to the administration.

- The Associated Press contributed to this story.