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Will the shortage of safe-to-eat tomatoes affect your diet?

Asked at Massachusetts Street on June 10, 2008

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Photo of Stanley M. Weil

“Farmers’ Market, Farmers’ Market, Farmers’ Market. This is why you buy local. It may cost a little more, but they care what’s going into your food. So buy locally, and keep the money in our community. Get to know your grower.”

Photo of Lily Boyce

“I’m not a big fan of tomatoes. I only like them on bruschetta, so unless I’m eating in an Italian restaurant soon, it shouldn’t affect me.”

Photo of Samuel Gould

“I love tomatoes, so of course I’m going to have to make an adjustment. I guess I’ll just have to do without until they become available.”

Photo of Rita Pettit

“Yes, I love tomatoes. I have some grape tomatoes that I’m still eating, but after that I probably won’t be buying any more until everything clears up.”

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Comments

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  1. jonas (anonymous) says…

    No. Tomatoes are evil.

  2. snap_pop_no_crackle (anonymous) says…

    Tomatoes were once called Poison Love Apples. Maybe our ancestors knew something.

  3. Agnostick (anonymous) says…

    Stanley's right... although it'll be another 4-5 weeks, probably, before tomatoes really start showing up in farmers markets.Meanwhile... V8, Ragu, Pace Thick & Chunky, etc.

  4. merrill (anonymous) says…

    There are some beautiful local greenhouse tomatoes floating around in Checkers and at the Merc.

  5. classclown (Class Clown) says…

    jonas (Anonymous) says:No. Tomatoes are evil.=====================================Only these kind.http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0080391/Did you have a similar experience?

  6. classclown (Class Clown) says…

    Lily Boyce I hope you're pronouncing bruschetta correctly or Aaron Clary may track you down and cringe.

  7. trinity (anonymous) says…

    hah class you beat me to it! i remember that brouhaha! :)i'm staying the hell out of the merc&checkers-if there are tomatoes floating around i for one do not care to witness nor be injured by that spectacle.

  8. dulcinea47 (anonymous) says…

    This is so stupid... the FDA doesn't even know where the "tainted" tomatoes are supposedly coming from. Just cook them into a nice sauce and you have no reason to worry.

  9. Coach_Eric (anonymous) says…

    Actually, Agnostick, tomatoes have been at the Lawrence Farmers' Market for weeks. Just gotta get there early...

  10. The_Original_Bob (anonymous) says…

    I'm still buying my tomatoes until they are ready in my garden. I have a hard time believing every single tomato in the US is tainted. Last I heard, the only ones with potential issues are a variety of Roma, Red Round, and something else. Kudos to the FDA for being on top of this, but I think some businesses are going overboard at this point. Mad Cow Disease didn't even cause this much hysteria.

  11. The_Original_Bob (anonymous) says…

    Red plum was the other variety. And, go buy yourself some Israeli tomatoes!"Not associated with the outbreak are raw Roma, red plum and round red tomatoes from Arkansas, California, Georgia, Hawaii, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Belgium, Canada, Dominican Republic, Guatemala, Israel, Netherlands and Puerto Rico."

  12. RETICENT_IRREVERENT (Ronaldo Ignacio) says…

    When I heard the news on the radio, I thought they said said salmonella scare was linked to tornados.

  13. blue73harley (anonymous) says…

    Damn bunnies ate our 'mater plants!

  14. Coach_Eric (anonymous) says…

    I hate bunnies and squirrels Blue73! Furry little thieves took our best tomatoes all last year. Something I've heard is an effective deterrant (but not yet tried) is to leave a radio in your garden. According to my barber (where else could you get such info?) the noise startles them, and keeps them out.

  15. prospector (anonymous) says…

    Jonas is right about store bought. I eat the ones I grow or someone I know grows only.Blue, you might have to go all Marion on them. "Two to the body and one to the head.".

  16. prospector (anonymous) says…

    My buddy Eric told me that playing "Thrasher" keeps the hippies out. Did any one try that this weekend?

  17. RETICENT_IRREVERENT (Ronaldo Ignacio) says…

    There's absolutely nothing wrong with ketchup.

  18. snap_pop_no_crackle (anonymous) says…

    Coach_eric, having a wolf pee around the perimeter of your garden might help keep the varmits out.

  19. schula (anonymous) says…

    Coach Eric -- I have heard that planting marigolds around the garden will keep the bunnies out.

  20. greenvera (anonymous) says…

    So this story seemed to evaporate in the mist of the tomato scare.http://www.wesh.com/health/16488170/detail.htmlAvian flu in Tyson chicken. I guess we know where the FDAs' priorities and friends lie.

  21. budwhysir (anonymous) says…

    I am so lost. My entire diet contained tomatoes in every dish. What will I do????

  22. RETICENT_IRREVERENT (Ronaldo Ignacio) says…

    Coach_Eric, I have heard that growing your plants indoors will keep the bunny foo foo at bay.http://hightimes.com/grow/ht_admin/2558

  23. The_Original_Bob (anonymous) says…

    Coach Eric -I don't have issues with wabbits. The wife's barking lemur keeps them away. The long-furry tailed rats require a different solution. Daisy is the name.

  24. ms_canada (anonymous) says…

    Oh my gosh, I just ate a grilled tomato and cheese sandwich for my breakfast!!! What should I do now? Maybe I'll rush to the ER. Or maybe not.

  25. The_Original_Bob (anonymous) says…

    Ms. Canada -In the wise and prudent words of our long departed brother, One More Bob... "We're all going to die. Just probably not today." I think you are ok.

  26. dajudge (anonymous) says…

    I prefer to get my salmonella poisoning from cantaloupes and chicken.But, in a pinch, I suppose I can try tomatoes. Probably a different strain.If that doesn't work, I'll go for the E. coli. in the hamburger.Anything to get a day off from work.

  27. sunflower_sue (anonymous) says…

    No. I'm not afraid of a little salmonella in my tomatoes. I'll just cook everything until my plants are producing...or get them from my local farmers. Ms_C, maybe, if you follow up that sandwich with a glass of whiskey, it'll kill any bacteria looming in your stomach.

  28. Gootsie (anonymous) says…

    No 'maters for me, except in salsa. Maybe we should stockpile them and throw them at our TV when Katie is on? Since we're all gonna die? perhaps not.

  29. autie (anonymous) says…

    I believe to be safe, I will do a variation of sunflower_sue's suggestion. From now on, marinate all tomato slices in scotch...that will add a little extra zest to my grilled burgers..

  30. ms_canada (anonymous) says…

    Oh such wise words from sunny sue and TOB. I do thank you and I feel so much better. That whisky (the spelling of the Scots) did the job.

  31. ms_canada (anonymous) says…

    Now I have to trust that the mushrooms that are cooking at this moment in Mushroom Bisque will not do me in today. I did put some Marsala wine in it just to make sure.

  32. autie (anonymous) says…

    MD, I'm kinda a thinking that vinegar provides a fairly hostile enviornment for the little bugs. Those big jars of hard boiled eggs in the bar, unrefrigerated? Pickle juice? Now I'm in the mood for a bowl of ice cold purple onions, tomatos and cucumbers..summer delight.

  33. peachesncream (anonymous) says…

    ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh not the killer tomatoesssssssssssssssssss

  34. looza (anonymous) says…

    I love maters! I eat mater soup, yum yum!

  35. Bossa_Nova (anonymous) says…

    oh no! brace yourselves! we're all gonna starve!

  36. themiddlechild (mary smith) says…

    Samuel Gould, disabled, Lawrence----------------------Ok, I have seem more and more of this, but what exactly does this mean? Is disabled a new professional now or what's the deal here?

  37. riverdrifter (anonymous) says…

    Three more weeks and I'll be over-run with 'maters. Meanwhile, where can I get some of these poison 'maters to throw at Carl Peterson, GM of the Chiefs?

  38. notajayhawk (anonymous) says…

    themiddlechild (Anonymous) says: "Ok, I have seem more and more of this, but what exactly does this mean? Is disabled a new professional now or what's the deal here?"I think it's the street a few blocks east of Haskell...