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FDA
Warns Not to Eat Cantaloupe from Honduran Grower
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is advising consumers who
have recently bought cantaloupes to check with the place of purchase
to determine if the fruit came from Agropecuaria Montelibano, a
growing and packing company in Honduras. If so, consumers should
throw away the cantaloupes.
Based on current
information, fruit from this company appears to be associated with
a Salmonella Litchfield outbreak in the United States and Canada.
To date, FDA
has received reports of 50 illnesses in 16 states and nine illnesses
in Canada linked to eating cantaloupes. The states are Arizona,
California, Colorado, Georgia, Illinois, Missouri, New Jersey, New
Mexico, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Tennessee, Utah, Washington,
and Wisconsin. No deaths have been reported; however, 14 people
have been hospitalized.
Symptoms
of Foodborne Salmonella Infection
Symptoms include nausea, vomiting, fever, diarrhea, and stomach
cramps. In individuals with poor health or weakened immune systems,
Salmonella can invade the bloodstream and cause life-threatening
infections. Individuals who have recently eaten cantaloupe and experienced
any of these symptoms should contact their health care professional.
Tips for
Consumers
To reduce the risk of getting Salmonella or other foodborne illnesses
from cantaloupes:
- Buy cantaloupes
that are not bruised or damaged. If buying fresh-cut cantaloupe,
be sure it is refrigerated or surrounded by ice.
- After purchase,
refrigerate cantaloupes promptly.
- Wash hands
with hot, soapy water before and after handling fresh cantaloupes.
- Scrub whole
cantaloupes by using a clean produce brush and cool tap water
immediately before eating. Don't use soap or detergents.
- Use clean
cutting surfaces and utensils when cutting cantaloupes. Wash cutting
boards, countertops, dishes, and utensils with hot water and soap
between the preparation of raw meat, poultry, or seafood and the
preparation of cantaloupe.
- If there
is a bruised or damaged area on a cantaloupe, cut away that area
before eating.
- Throw away
any leftover cut cantaloupe if it's left at room temperature for
more than two hours.
- Use a cooler
with ice or use ice gel packs when transporting or storing cantaloupes
outdoors.
What is
FDA Doing?
- FDA has
issued an import alert to detain all cantaloupes shipped to the
United States from this company.
- FDA has
contacted importers and is advising U.S. grocers, food service
operators, and produce processors to remove from their stock any
cantaloupes from this company.
- FDA continues
to investigate this outbreak in cooperation with the Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention and state partners.
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