The wait is almost over. Tomatoes are making a comeback!
Taco Bell, KFC, Pizza Hut, A&W and Long John Silver say they are reintroducing the tomato back into their foods. These restaurant chains are apart of Yum Brands, which is based out of Louisville , Kentucky . None of these restaurants have been connected with any of the salmonella cases.
Kentucky was recently included among the 28 states that reported salmonella cases from eating these tainted red gems. Officials say that the outbreak of bad tomatoes has now sickened 277 people nationwide.
So far, the companies behind some restaurant chains have begun to restock tomatoes after the government has identified crops that have not been linked to the salmonella scare.
Burger King, which also briefly stopped using tomatoes, has begun to restock its restaurants as of last week. However, McDonald’s is holding off on reissuing the red fruit until they obtain enough safe tomatoes for its entire restaurant chain.
So what does this mean for the health of Kentuckians or American people? I talked to several University of Kentucky students who are taking summer classes, and they say the tomato scare might have improved their health.
It turns out that several students have taken to eating at home, rather than eating out, simply because their fast food favorites wouldn’t taste the same without the beloved tomato.
Joey Carr, a sophomore studying sociology says his study groups didn’t meet at Taco Bell like they usually do, because their tacos and gorditas wouldn’t taste the same with out tomatoes. Instead, the students took this opportunity to cook dinner for each other at home.
Carr believes that the home-cooked meal had to have been lighter in calories and fats than what he would have ordered at Taco Bell. Although he says one meal wouldn’t have made a difference in his overall health, the fact that he meets with his study group three times a week at different restaurants in Lexington makes an impact. Especially since the tomato ban has been in place for almost three weeks.
Amber Finnery, who is student teaching in the English department at UK this summer, says the tomato blight has made her more health conscious too. She hasn’t been offered tomato-based salsas at her favorite Mexican restaurants, which causes her not to eat so many greasy fried corn chips.
Tomatoes are healthy and are full of anti-oxidants that fight cancer and other diseases, and help us grow and be healthy. But if they are eaten as a garnish on fatty foods, are they really a food that we want to ingest? Has the lack of tomatoes taught Americans to eat a bit healthier?
Students in Kentucky agree: Salmonella infused tomatoes have made an impact on their eating habits, and they’re more likely to think about what goes into their mouths.
Although some restaurants are adding the tomato back onto their menus, the FDA is still urging consumers to avoid raw red plum, red roma, and red round tomatoes unless they were grown in specific states or countries that the FDA has cleared of suspicion.