The San Diego Union Tribune reported that the Food and Drug Administration and the Center for Disease Control told them on a conference call that all the 1,700 samples of Florida and Mexican tomatoes tested were negative for the sickening bacteria.
The CDC will now take a closer look at Mexican imports that are commonly eaten with tomatoes, such as cilantro, peppers, scallions, and bulb onions.
Rather than being distributed to the public, the foods will be intercepted and tested for the strain of Salmonella that has sickened 943 people since April. The majority of the cases have been in Texas, which has reported 356 cases of the food-borne illness.
For months, health officials have blamed tomatoes for the outbreak, causing many restaurants and stores to stop selling certain tomatoes. The National Restaurant Association has reportedly estimated the outbreak has cost the food industry at least $100 million.
