WASHINGTON - The toll from salmonella-tainted tomatoes jumped to 228 illnesses Thursday as the government learned of five dozen previously unknown cases and said it is possible the food poisoning contributed to a cancer patient's death.
Six more states - Florida, Georgia, Missouri, New York, Tennessee and Vermont - reported illnesses related to the outbreak, bringing the number of affected states to 23.
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©AP Photo/Toby Talbot
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Tomatoes with vines still attached are on sale at the Hunger Mountain Cooperative in Montpelier, Vt., Tuesday, June 10, 2008. U.S. officials hunted for the source of a salmonella outbreak in 17 states linked to three types of raw tomatoes, while the list of supermarkets and restaurants yanking those varieties from shelves and dishes grew. Cherry tomatoes, grape tomatoes, tomatoes sold with the vine still attached and homegrown tomatoes are likely not the source of the outbreak, federal officials said.
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The Food and Drug Administration has not pinpointed the source of the outbreak. With the latest known illness striking on June 1, officials also are not sure if all the tainted tomatoes are off the market.