Basil joins suspects in U.S. Salmonella outbreak

BEIJING, July 14 (Xinhuanet) -- The U.S. Food and Drug Administration said on Friday that Basil may have joined the list of food suspected in an outbreak of Salmonella food poisoning that has sickened more than 1,000 people.

Lucky Green Trading Inc. of Garden Grove, California, had recalled all of its Thai basil after random testing had shown it tested positive for Salmonella, the FDA said. However, no illnesses were traced to the herb.

"The recall was as the result of a random testing by the FDA which revealed that the finished products contained the Salmonella," the FDA said in a statement.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said 1,019 people had become ill in the outbreak, which affects 42 states and Canada.

The basil was grown in Mexico.

Mexican Agriculture Ministry spokesman Marco Antonio Sifuentes said he was frustrated with the U.S. government's investigation. "First tomatoes, then cilantro, then jalapeno and now this?"

(Agencies)

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