Multistate Salmonella Outbreaks Linked to Raw Tomatoes, 2005-2006

Four large multistate outbreaks of Salmonella infections associated with eating raw tomatoes in restaurants occurred in the United States during 2005-2006. The outbreaks resulted in 459 culture-confirmed cases of salmonellosis across 21 states. Investigations by state and local health departments, national food safety agencies, and the CDC traced the tomatoes to fields in Florida, Ohio, and Virginia.

Use Cases

• Analyze outbreak patterns and case counts based on the reported 459 confirmed cases across 21 states.
• Study contamination sources in the food supply chain based on the traceback to tomato fields in Florida, Ohio, and Virginia.
• Model restaurant-associated foodborne illness risks based on the described context of outbreaks linked to raw tomatoes eaten at restaurants.
• Prioritize research areas for pathogen eradication based on the description of incomplete knowledge about tomato contamination mechanisms.

Strengths

• Covers four distinct multistate outbreaks, providing multiple data points for analysis.
• Includes a specific case count of 459 culture-confirmed infections.
• Provides geographic specificity with 21 affected states and three identified source states.

Limitations

• Row count and column-level documentation are absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Data freshness is unverified as the last update date is unknown.
• The dataset is described in a research summary; the underlying raw epidemiological data is not directly accessible.

Provenance

Source

Investigations by state and local health departments, national food safety agencies, and the CDC.

Collection Method

Epidemiologic, environmental, and laboratory investigations as described in the report.

Time Range

2005-2006

Geography

United States, specifically 21 states with tomato sources traced to Florida, Ohio, and Virginia.