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Local growers say the most recent food scare linking salmonella to certain types of commercially grown tomatoes might lead more people to buy local produce.

Long a cherished sign of summer, native tomatoes are now starting to be picked at local farms and are headed to the stands, where they have been eagerly awaited by aficionados of locally grown produce because of the flavor. The season also marks the start of farmers' markets in the area where locally grown produce will be sold.

Because the reputation of several types of raw tomatoes have been tainted in the link to more than 1,000 people nationwide who have fallen ill from salmonella, local farmers say their customers have commented about the scare, but are not particularly concerned.

Marilyn Cook of Cook's Valley Farm in Wrentham said she's heard some folks comment about the situation, but doesn't believe the fear is feeding into locally grown tomatoes. It will likely have the reverse effect of a growing number of people turning to local farms and stands for their produce, she said.

Both she and Beth Flint of Flint Farm in Mansfield said it's hard to gauge whether people are concerned about tainted tomatoes because people are always anticipating the availability of locally grown tomatoes after a long winter's wait. In addition, there is a growing movement of folks buying locally grown produce in response to concerns about the environment and the source of their food.

The outbreak of salmonella, which started in late May, has now grown to become the worst foodborne outbreak in at least a decade, according to federal health officials.

Officials are still searching for the specific cause of the outbreak and certain raw tomatoes - red round, plum and Roma - sold commercially, are still considered suspect.

A total of 26 cases of salmonella have currently been identified in Massachusetts, five of which required hospitalization. The most recent were reported Wednesday by the state Department of Public Health. The new cases in Massachusetts were a 21-year-old woman from Middlesex County and a 25-year-old woman from Norfolk County.

The strain of salmonella has been identified as Salmonella Saintpaul, a specific sub-type of the bacteria.

Recently added to the list of suspect produce for people at the highest risk of severe illness from salmonella are raw jalapeno and serrano peppers, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The most vulnerable include the elderly, people with weak immune systems and infants.

Cases concerning peppers were linked to two clusters of sick people who ate at the same restaurant or catered event, according to reports.

But some in those groups didn't eat hot peppers.

Tomatoes grown in Massachusetts are considered safe to eat by the federal Food and Drug Association, according to the Massachusetts Department of Health.

Flint, who with her husband Don runs the Flint Farm and its stand and organizes the Mansfield Farmer's Market that starts tonight, said there have been a lot of people asking when tomatoes will be ready. They have just started harvesting them from among the 2,800 plants in their field. She said because theirs is a family-operated farm growing tomatoes and other produce for many years, there is a sense of trust that people have in knowing where the food comes from and who is growing it.

Flint said there has been some talk among customers about the latest food scare but people have always desired locally grown tomatoes for their taste and more recently, the cost. The price at the stand for a pound of tomatoes is $3.50 and there will be choices between regular big tomatoes and Brandy Wines, amongst others.

"I think it's going to be a good year" for native tomatoes, Flint said.

Angie Vanasse, a farm retail associate for Oakdale Farms in Rehoboth, which operates a stand and participates in many farmer's markets, including Mansfield's and Rehoboth's, said she has not fielded any questions about whether the farm's produce is safe to eat.

She believes people largely just like the option of getting their produce locally from a family farm where, depending on the type, tomatoes will cost from $2.99 to $3.99 per pound.

Cook said their family farm already has greenhouse-grown tomatoes at the stand. Garden-grown tomatoes will likely be on the stand starting next week.

There will be quite a display of tomato types throughout the summer. The farm raises round, some plum, heirloom and 6 different kinds of cherry tomatoes in different shapes and colors.

"Anytime there's a food scare, it usually helps us," she said. People take comfort in that they can talk face-to-face with the grower to ask questions.

"If they can put a face to their food, it makes them feel more secure," Cook said.