Some Restaurants Put Tomato Use On Hold

It's a red flag for red tomatoes. The Food and Drug Administration says certain kinds are being linked to an outbreak of salmonella in 16 states, including Oklahoma. News On 6's Steve Berg reports, tomato fans are having to do without.

You say tomato. Pam Wilson says no, no.

"Anything that's recalled, we are not allowed to put it on our line," said Pam Wilson who works for Subway.

Most restaurants, like Subway, are playing it safe, and not using any tomatoes. Even though it's a popular vegetable.

"That's one of my favorite vegetables to get on a sandwich. So, I'm curious about what happened," said Jane Vantine, a Subway customer.

So are the feds. Most of the illnesses have been in New Mexico and Texas, along with a handful in Oklahoma and other states. But, they still haven't tracked where the bad tomatoes came from.

As far as kinds of tomatoes, the prime suspects are Red Plum, Red Roma and Red Round tomatoes.

Meanwhile, The FDA believes Cherry Tomatoes, Grape Tomatoes, and tomatoes sold with the vine attached are safe. Like a lot of people, Jane Vantine says tomatoes are a big part of her diet.

"I use them on my salads at home. So, yes it is," said Vantine.

But, she's not too worried about getting sick.

"I'm feeling okay. I think it's the luck of the draw," said Vantine.

The biggest hardship may be going without, since it's not clear when restaurants will get the all clear.

"Customers are kind of a little disappointed, but they've been pretty understanding at the same time," said Wilson.

There have actually been several outbreaks of salmonella linked to tomatoes over the past 20 years.

Click here for more information from the Centers for Disease Control.