As the salmonella outbreak panic continues to grip the nation, it looks as though an effort is being made to block the import of Mexican tomatoes as one possible source of the outbreak. Of course, that’s pissing off Mexico, since there’s really no proof whatsoever that their ‘maters are the source of the bug:

Worried U.S. buyers block Mexican tomatoes at border | Reuters

“I’ve had phone calls from producers saying their tomatoes are being blocked, not all varieties but some varieties,” Alberto Cardenas said, stressing that U.S. officials had found no evidence so far that Mexican tomatoes were unsafe to eat.

Twenty-five people have been hospitalized as a result of the U.S. outbreak, which is being linked to raw plum, Roma and round tomatoes. Investigators at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, or FDA, have not ruled out Mexico as the source of the infection.

I suppose that there’s wisdom, despite the irritation, in at least cutting down the number of potential sources while the true culprit has not been identified. There seems to be no really good way to track the progress of crops through the supply chain, therefore this may be a long process, if they ever find an answer the government is willing to share with us (don’t hold your breath).