Friday, Jul. 18, 2008

Suspect Pepper Leaves Restaurants in a Pickle

By A. Lee Graham

Staff Writer

Nachos without jalapeños? And in Texas?

That’s the dilemma facing restaurateurs and diners as the piquant peppers take the heat in a salmonella outbreak suspected of sickening more than 1,000 people in the United States and Canada.

What was initially linked to tomatoes has investigators with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommending that diners avoid fresh jalapeños.

From Trophy Club to Roanoke, area restaurateurs are heeding the call.

"We’re not serving jalapeños, because there’s no FDA [Food and Drug Administration] approval at this time," said Dora Rayner, manager at Cristina’s Mexican Restaurant in Trophy Club.

Whether veering off Texas 114 or arriving from local roadways, diners continue enjoying the eatery’s spicy menu. But how do chefs please palates with no jalapeños?

"We use pickles," said Rayner. "It makes our food taste a little different, but it’s better than using any kind of fresh jalapeño."

Just a few weeks ago, tomatoes were considered the source of a salmonella outbreak. Raw red plum, red Roma and red round tomatoes were tossed from menus as salads, chicken sandwiches and other staples were served sans the common foodstuff.

Then the focus shifted to fresh cilantro as well as fresh serrano and fresh jalapeño peppers.

"We returned tomatoes to the menu a few weeks ago," said Brenda Garcia, owner of Tortilla Flats in Roanoke.

Like many restaurateurs, Garcia follows FDA recommendations that sometimes change daily. But if it means safer food for loyal customers, so be it.

"Initially, this put a scare into a lot of people," Garcia said. "They would say, 'No tomatoes’ or to double-check. Everyone was just a little bit on guard."

Despite the scare, no restaurateurs contacted for this article reported a lag in customer volume. And judging by the diners packing several Mexican restaurants on a recent weekday, many seemed undeterred by an infection that, at least statistically, has affected few people.

At last count, about 1,020 people have been infected since April, with almost 400 of those in Texas.

Still, saving just one person from bacteria that causes diarrhea, fever and abdominal cramps — sometimes lasting a week — has food purveyors taking extra precautions.

"As always, Central Market makes food safety a No. 1 priority," said Aimee Deputy, a spokeswoman with Central Market, whose Southlake store was among the first to pull tomatoes after the FDA issued its earlier warning.

With tomatoes, as well as cilantro, off the warning list, Cristina’s and other popular eating spots have restored the herb’s place on the menu.

"Everything is still washed at least three times," said Rayner. "We are staying on top of all FDA approvals."