Mexico, U.S. disagree on salmonella outbreak cause

Nations differ on tests for peppers In salmonella search, Mexico and U.S. disagree about the cause By SEAN MATTSON San Antonio Express-news HIDALGO, MEXICO — The lab results on Sergio Maltos' desk show that investigators from Mexico and the United States came to drastically different conclusions about the cause of the salmonella outbreak that sickened more than 1,300 Americans this summer. Investigators from both nations visited the farm in question, about 200 miles south of Laredo in Tamaulipas state, in July to test nearly identical materials. The Food and Drug Administration found irrigation water and a serrano pepper that tested positive for the salmonella Saintpaul strain. Maltos, a top official at the Nuevo León state laboratory that processed Mexico's samples, had two positive tests as well — one from animal excrement... [read full story]