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The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has revealed that an outbreak of Salmonella was caused by Pico de Gallo, a popular condiment. The outbreak led to the illness of nearly 40 individuals. Despite identifying the source of the outbreak, the FDA has chosen not to disclose the specific brand of Pico de Gallo that was implicated in the incident. The outbreak involved 37 confirmed cases, and while the locations of the affected individuals have not been disclosed, the FDA first reported on this issue on June 14.
After conducting thorough epidemiologic and traceback investigations, the FDA, in collaboration with the CDC, determined that Pico de Gallo was the source of the Salmonella outbreak. However, environmental and product samples collected during the investigation tested negative for the outbreak strain. Therefore, the FDA has assured consumers that there is currently no risk associated with consuming Pico de Gallo.
Despite the identification of Pico de Gallo as the source, the exact ingredient or contributing factors responsible for the contamination could not be conclusively determined. Furthermore, by the time investigators confirmed Pico de Gallo as the culprit, the affected products had already surpassed their shelf life and were no longer available for purchase.
In a separate development, the FDA continues to monitor an ongoing outbreak of cyclospora infections. The number of cases has increased to 72 individuals, compared to 69 reported a week earlier. The cyclospora outbreak was first reported by the FDA on June 14 as well. The agency is actively engaged in tracing the source of the outbreak, conducting onsite inspections, and analyzing samples. However, specific details regarding the implicated food or the inspected location have not been disclosed by the FDA.