Thousands of cantaloupes sold in 19 states and Washington D.C. are being recalled due to potential salmonella contamination, the Food and Drug Administration announced Sept. 28.
Eagle Produce LLC from Scottsdale, Arizona, initiated a voluntary recall of 6,456 cases of whole cantaloupes after the fruits were tested in a distribution center by the FDA.
The cantaloupes were distributed from Sept. 5 to Sept. 16 in various supermarkets in California, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Washington D.C.
The recalled products include Kandy Produce whole cantaloupes with the UPC number code 4050 and lot codes 797901, 797900, and 804918, according to the FDA.
No other products or lot code dates are included in this recall.
As of Sept. 27, there have been no reported illnesses in connection to the recall, the FDA said.
The agency urged customers who purchased the recalled fruits not to consume it and to throw it out.
Salmonella
Salmonella is a bacteria that lives in the intestines of people and animals. Individuals can contract salmonella in a number of ways, such as by consuming contaminated food, drinking contaminated water, or touching animals that are infected, although salmonella is killed when it is cooked.Salmonella bacteria are especially difficult to address due to the wide range of hosts and environments in which they can survive. They are nearly ubiquitous as they can live within birds, reptiles, amphibians, and most household pets. Aside from that, they can survive in frozen, fresh, and even processed goods.
Symptoms of salmonella infections most commonly include diarrhea, fever, and stomach cramps. Some people may also experience nausea, vomiting, or headache. Usually, symptoms begin to appear six hours to six days after infection and last anywhere from four days to a week. However, people may also experience a lengthy period of symptoms that extends across many weeks, or no symptoms at all.
The infection can be life-threatening if it spreads beyond the intestines.
A salmonella outbreak linked to ground beef affected at least 16 people throughout four states in July, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
The cases were reported in Connecticut, New Jersey, New York, and Massachusetts. Among those, six people required hospitalization, the CDC stated. Illnesses started on dates ranging from April 27 to June 16.
According to the CDC, the actual number of people affected by the salmonella outbreak could be higher than the reported cases, and the outbreak may extend beyond the states with known illnesses.
“This is because many people recover without medical care and are not tested for salmonella,” the CDC said in a July 25 statement.
“In addition, recent illnesses may not yet be reported as it usually takes three to four weeks to determine if a sick person is part of an outbreak,” it added.
Health officials estimate that salmonella bacteria cause approximately 1.35 million human infections, 26,500 hospitalizations, and 420 deaths annually in the United States.
