FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — In response to the FDA's recent food safety alert regarding the Salmonellosis outbreak linked to the consumption of uncooked Roma tomatoes and round red tomatoes, organic pizza chain Pizza Fusion is temporarily buying tomatoes from FDA-approved tomato vendors.
Due to the seasonal availability of the crop, organic tomatoes primarily are sourced from Mexico and Florida, which have not yet been cleared by the FDA as approved safe sources. As a result, the chain is using conventionally-grown tomatoes while concerns remain about the outbreak.
The canned organic tomatoes that Pizza Fusion uses for its sauce are steam-peeled and pasteurized in the can prior to being shipped. This process of cooking the tomatoes in the can sterilizes the tomatoes, protecting them from the type of contamination associated with uncooked tomatoes, according to a news release.
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