Is eating raw tomatoes as a salad good for you
Researchers at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) Bengaluru, India have found that infection with S. typhimurium is a pre-harvest phenomenon and not a post-harvest problem as commonly thought. Hence washing tomatoes thoroughly will not get rid of Salmonella typhimuriumbacteria, that is known to cause gastroenteritis (fever, vomiting, diarrhea).
Salmonella typhimuriumbacteria, the bacteria that are found in tomatoes are killed on cooking; while gastroenteritis is usually caused when raw vegetables used in salad contain the bacteria.
Dipshikha Chakravortty, from the IISc’s Department of Microbiology and Cell Biology, who led the team says, ‘While studies are now being done to see if the bacteria infect other vegetables used in salad in the same manner, the key is to avoid eating any raw vegetable in the current scenario.’
Read more: https://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/health/when-raw-tomatoes-turn-health-risk/article25961794.ece
Eating raw tomatoes as salad may not be a good option, especially in the developing countries when open defecation and contaminated irrigation water have always been a matter of concern!
