Erin Smith, Staff writer

The number of people infected with salmonella saintpaul after eating raw tomatoes has increased to 869 cases as of June 30. According to an Associated Press report, the Food and Drug Administration has, as of Tuesday, widened its probe into the source of the contamination to include other types of fresh vegetables, but FDA investigators would not disclose exactly what type of vegetables are now being tested and maintained that tomatoes are still a leading candidate as the cause of the outbreak.

There have been five reported cases in North Carolina, but the N.C. Department of Agriculture and the FDA still say North Carolina’s tomatoes are safe to consume. One of those cases, according the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services Web site, was linked to an individual who had traveled to Texas.

Bladen County Agriculture Extension Director Dalton Dockery said North Carolina’s tomato crop has not been associated with the salmonella outbreak. North Carolina farmers have just begun to harvest their tomato crops.

“At this point, I’m not aware of anyone who has been sickened by tomatoes grown in North Carolina,” said Dockery on Wednesday.

In the latest update, the Centers for Disease Control said only three persons were infected with this particular strain of salmonella in 2007. The CDC said, “The previous rarity of this strain and the distribution of the illnesses in all U.S. regions suggest that the implicated food is distributed throughout much of the country.”

According to the CDC, the illnesses began to between April 10 and June 20 with 179 persons being sickened on June 1 or later.

The most recent FDA bulletin regarding the outbreak advises people to continue to avoid consuming raw red Roma tomatoes, red plum tomatoes and round red tomatoes, with the exception of those tomatoes coming from the list of states and countries designated as safe by the FDA, of which North Carolina is one. An updated list of states and regions deemed “safe” can be obtained at the FDA’s Web site — http://www.fda.gov.

The FDA advises to avoid buying produce that is bruised or damaged and discard any items that appear to have spoiled; wash all fresh fruits and vegetables under cold running water before using; clean utensils, dishes and cutting boards with warm, soapy water between food items; and keep raw tomatoes that are to be consumed raw separate from raw meats, raw seafood and other raw produce items.