In today’s world our communications are much more sophisticated than our perspective. The recent tomato scare is a case in point. According to the CDC about 940 people have been sickened since May with Salmonella saintpaul poisoning that was initially attributed to uncooked tomatoes. The news was instantly flashed throughout North America and the ‘red menace’ almost immediately began disappearing from salads, sandwiches and salsas. By June 10 Florida’s tomato industry was in “complete collapse” (Reuters). Mexico, already strained by the sharp corn (not to mention oil) price increases, must now contend with tons of produce rotting in warehouses.
Now comes word that maybe it wasn’t tomatoes after all. Jalapeno peppers (and possibly cilantro) are the latest suspect, so everybody stay away from Mexican restaurants!
Nahhhh…..in fact I ate an excellent meal just last night in Houston at Little Pappasitos, and I’m fat and happy. Of course it’s possible my margarita neutralized the salmonella, but that’s a precaution I always take at Mexican restaurants! (Sometimes I take two large doses of that medicine, just to be on the safe side!)
Okay let’s run some numbers and assume (very conservatively) that only 25% of the US population regularly eats tomatoes. That’s about 75 million people, so if 1000 get sick that puts my chances at 1 in 75,000, about the same as the odds of my getting a hole-in-one in golf—before I drink the margaritas.
More chips and salsa, waiter….and bring me another ‘rita.
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