No Picnic

This week, the Food and Drug Administration deemed tomatoes safe again after some varieties were implicated in the recent salmonella scare--an outbreak that has been described by the Centers for Disease Control as the worst in 10 years.

But as relieved as tomato growers are to see the FDA search for the source of the contamination move to jalapenos, Serrano, peppers and cilantro, which are still on the warning list, the agency's announcement won't immediately undo the damage to the industry from weeks of unnerving headlines about illness caused by contaminated produce (1,220 confirmed cases in 42 states since April). The FDA identified tomatoes as a potential salmonella source in June and warned against the consumption of certain raw varieties. By June 28, the sale of tomatoes was down 17 percent nationally, according to the Perishables Group, an independent consulting firm.

While the total losses to tomato growers, packers, and distributors are still being calculated, the cost is expected to be well over $100 million. And if previous outbreaks are any guide, it may take a while before the news that tomatoes are OK really sinks into the public consciousness after a barrage of confusing warnings about which varieties of which types vegetables were suspect. Reggie Brown, executive vice president of the Florida Tomato Growers Exchange says that one of the scariest things for him, has been the surveys indicating that 8 percent of shoppers say they would never buy tomatoes again. NEWSWEEK's Amadea Britton asked Brown how his organization coped with this industry crisis, and their plans to get back on track--and back onto America's plates. Excerpts:

NEWSWEEK: What does it feel like to finally be cleared by the FDA?
Reggie Brown: Well it kind of feels like you've been whipped pretty hard, but it's kind of nice to stop getting whipped.

What was the low point of this experience for you?
I think it was that call on a Saturday night as I was having dinner with my family and walked out of the restaurant and answered the voice mail and discovered that the FDA wanted to have a discussion with the industry and that they had concerns about tomatoes and salmonella. 

Are you feeling upbeat now--is this a happy day?
I think the description would be relieved but not necessarily upbeat. At least we've got a positive diagnosis that we can move forward and try to fix the public image that's been grossly tarnished.