Three tomato varieties have been removed from the shelves in Southern California as health officials warned of a widening Salmonella outbreak, authorities said on Monday. (File Photo) Photo Gallery>>>

    LOS ANGELES, June 9 (Xinhua) -- Three tomato varieties have been removed from the shelves in Southern California as health officials warned of a widening Salmonella outbreak, authorities said on Monday.

    The removal came after the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) advised consumers to avoid raw red plum, red Roma or round red tomatoes, which have been tied to 145 infections reported since mid-April across the nation.

    Consumers may continue to eat cherry tomatoes, grape tomatoes, tomatoes sold with the vine still attached and tomatoes grown at home, a FDA statement said.

    Major supermarket chains including Ralphs, Vons and Albertsons have stopped selling the three kinds of fruit on the FDA list. Other types of tomatoes remained for sale, said Brian Dowling, a vice president of public affairs for Vons owner Safeway, based in Pleasanton, California. "It's a precaution."

    The Albertsons grocery chain had considered stripping its shelves of all tomatoes, a produce manager said. "At first they told us we had to pull everything, but then they narrowed it down," said Justin Peters at the Albertsons store in Laguna Beach.

    Fast-food chains, including Irvine-based Taco Bell Corp. and Denver-based Chipotle Mexican Grill Inc., have also stopped offering tomatoes, according to the Los Angeles Times on Monday.

    The agency said last week that it had ruled out tomatoes from many areas, including California, as the source of the salmonella but was still investigating the source of the outbreak.

    The 145 infections, including 23 people who required hospital treatment, were reported in Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Oregon Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington and Wisconsin, according to the FDA.

    Salmonella infections can cause fever, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain, according to the statement. Young children, frail and elderly people and those with weakened immune systems are particularly at risk.