WASHINGTON, June 10 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced on Tuesday to expand its warning to consumers nationwide that a salmonellosis outbreak has been linked to consumption of certain raw red plum, raw red Roma, raw red round tomatoes, and products containing these tomatoes.

    The federal health agency recommends that consumers not eat these tomatoes unless they have been grown and harvested from states, countries, and territories that have not been associated with this outbreak.

    FDA also recommends that retailers, restaurants, and other foodservice operators not offer these raw tomatoes unless they are from safe sources.

    The safe list for tomatoes can be found at the website of FDA, and will be updated as more information becomes available.

    Currently, FDA said the following types of tomatoes are not likely to be the source of this outbreak: cherry tomatoes, grape tomatoes, tomatoes sold with the vine still attached, and tomatoes grown at home. Consumers can continue to eat these tomatoes.

    FDA said it is working "hard and fast" to trace the source of the outbreak. Since mid-April, there have been at least 145 reported cases of salmonellosis caused by Salmonella Saintpaul in United States, including at least 23 hospitalizations.

    As of Tuesday, the number of states reporting illnesses linked to the outbreak has climbed to 16.