Salmonella Alert: Cantaloupe-Linked Outbreak Uncovered in the US and Canada

 

Salmonella Outbreak Linked to Cantaloupes: What You Need to Know

A deadly salmonella outbreak linked to cantaloupes and pre-cut fruit products has sickened nearly 100 people across 32 states and Canada, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA)¹². Two people have died and 45 have been hospitalized as a result of the infection².

What is salmonella and how does it spread?

Salmonella is a type of bacteria that can cause diarrhea, fever, and abdominal cramps. Symptoms usually start 6 hours to 6 days after swallowing the bacteria and last 4 to 7 days. Most people recover without treatment, but some people may develop severe complications that require medical attention or hospitalization¹.

Salmonella can spread through contaminated food, water, or contact with animals or their environments. Some foods that are commonly associated with salmonella outbreaks include eggs, poultry, meat, dairy products, and fresh produce¹.

What are the sources of the outbreak?

The CDC and the FDA have identified three brands of cantaloupes and pre-cut fruit products that are linked to the outbreak:

• Malichita brand whole cantaloupes with a sticker that says “Malichita”, “4050”, and “Product of Mexico/produit du Mexique” sold between October 16 and October 23².
• Vinyard brand pre-cut cantaloupes, including cantaloupe cubes, melon medleys, and fruit medleys, sold in Oklahoma stores between October 30 and November 10².
• ALDI brand whole cantaloupe and pre-cut fruit products, including whole cantaloupes, cantaloupe chunks in clamshell packaging, and pineapple spears in clamshell packaging, with best-by dates between October 27 and October 31, sold in ALDI stores in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Michigan, and Wisconsin².

The recalled cantaloupes and products were sold at retail stores in Arizona, California, Maryland, New Jersey, Tennessee, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Oklahoma, Wisconsin, Texas, Florida and Canada. This list may not include all states as the cantaloupes could have reached consumers through further retail distribution².

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency found Salmonella in a sample of Malichita brand cantaloupe, and whole genome sequencing (WGS) showed that the Salmonella on the cantaloupe is closely related genetically to the bacteria from sick people in Canada. This suggests that people in the Canadian and US outbreaks likely got sick from eating cantaloupe³.

What should you do if you have recalled cantaloupes or products?

The CDC and the FDA advise consumers, restaurants, and retailers not to eat, sell, or serve recalled cantaloupes and products made with recalled cantaloupe. They should throw them away or return them to where they bought them. They should also wash items and surfaces that may have touched the recalled fruit using hot soapy water or a dishwasher¹².

Some consumers may freeze cantaloupe for later use. They should check their freezers and throw away recalled fresh or cut cantaloupe that was frozen for later use. They should also follow the safe handling and cleaning advice and use extra vigilance in cleaning and sanitizing any surfaces and containers that may have come in contact with these products to reduce the risk of cross-contamination².

If you have symptoms of salmonella infection after eating recalled cantaloupe or products, you should contact your healthcare provider. You should also report your illness to your local health department and the FDA¹².

How can you prevent salmonella infection from fresh produce?

The CDC and the FDA recommend the following steps to prevent salmonella infection from fresh produce¹²:

• Choose produce that is not bruised or damaged.
• When buying pre-cut or packaged produce, choose items that are refrigerated or kept on ice.
• Wash your hands before and after handling produce.
• Wash or scrub whole fruits and vegetables under running water before eating, cutting, or cooking them. Do not use soap, bleach, or other chemicals.
• Cut away any bruised or damaged areas before preparing or eating produce.
• Refrigerate cut, peeled, or cooked produce within two hours or one hour if the temperature is above 90°F.
• Separate produce from raw meat, poultry, seafood, and eggs in your shopping cart, grocery bags, and refrigerator.
• Use separate cutting boards, knives, and utensils for produce and for raw meat, poultry, seafood, and eggs. Wash them with hot soapy water or in a dishwasher after each use.
• Cook raw meat, poultry, seafood, and eggs to the safe minimum internal temperature.

Conclusion

A salmonella outbreak linked to cantaloupes and pre-cut fruit products has caused two deaths and 45 hospitalizations in the US and Canada. Consumers, restaurants, and retailers should not eat, sell, or serve recalled cantaloupes and products and should follow the safe handling and cleaning advice. They should also seek medical attention if they have symptoms of salmonella infection and report their illness to the health authorities. To prevent salmonella infection from fresh produce, they should choose, wash, store, and cook produce properly and avoid cross-contamination with raw meat, poultry, seafood, and eggs.