Some things in life are predictable.
What goes up, must come down.
Toast always falls butter-side down.
The Cowboys will not make it to the Super Bowl.
Another cantaloupe Salmonella outbreak?
Could we see another Salmonella cantaloupe outbreak this year? Last year’s cantaloupe outbreak was massive! But it wasn’t the first.
Could this be a trend? And if so, what can be done to prevent it?
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced a Salmonella Sundsvall outbreak in November 2023. Epidemiological data pointed to cantaloupes.
Shortly after, another Samonella strain was added to the announcement. Canadian Health agencies found Salmonella Oranienburg in isolated outbreak patient samples as well.
Both the U.S. and Canada were impacted by this outbreak.
Overall, there were 407 total illnesses in the United States. Of which, 158 were serious enough to require hospitalization. Six people died. Cases came from 44 states.
These included: Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, Missouri, Mississippi, North Carolina, North Dakota, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Nevada, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.
Additionally, there were 190 confirmed Canadian outbreak cases across 9 provinces.
There were 68 hospitalizations and nine deaths reported in Canada.
The source of the outbreaks was narrowed down to whole fresh cantaloupes labeled with “Malichita” or Rudy” from Mexico.
Other recalls involved Sofia Produce doing business as TruFresh, Crown Jewels Produce, and pacific Trellis.
As more information became available, additional pre-cut cantaloupe recalls and products that included them began trickling in.
Other recalls included:
The sheer breadth of recalls associated with this outbreak is an indication of a gap in supply chain sanitation practices.
While this was one of the largest historical Salmonella outbreaks linked to cantaloupes, there was another cantaloupe Salmonella outbreak the year before.
In August 2022, a Salmonella Typhimurium outbreak was linked to cantaloupe. This strain was similar to environmental samples obtained in another Salmonella cantaloupe outbreak.
There were 87 illnesses associated with the Salmonella outbreak linked to cantaloupes. Of which, 32 were serious enough to require hospitalization. No deaths were reported with this outbreak.
This multi-state outbreak spanned 11 states. Including Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Ohio, South Carolina, and Wisconsin.
Although traceback information led investigators to a packinghouse in Indiana. Three farms were implicated as potential sources. Unfortunately, no conclusive evidence was uncovered to link the outbreak to a single farm.
At the conclusion of the investigation, all potentially contaminated product would have expired, so no recall was initiated.
An outbreak linked to pre-cut cantaloupe was announced in May 2019 after epidemiological data linked Salmonella Carrau cases to pre-cut cantaloupe.
A total of 137 cases were linked to this outbreak. There were 38 cases serious enough to require hospitalization. No deaths were reported for this outbreak.
Outbreak cases spanned 10 states, including Alabama, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Ohio, and Wisconsin.
Traceback evidence pointed to Caito Foods LLC as the likely source of the outbreak. As a result, Caiito Foods LLC announced a recall for pre-cut watermelon, honeydew melon, cantaloupe, and pre-cut fruit medley products containing these products produced at the Caito Foods LLC facility in Indianapolis, Indiana.
If history repeats itself, as it often does, we might see another cantaloupe Salmonella outbreak in 2024. Of course, we hope not. But it is always better to be prepared.
What can you do to prepare?
You likely have no hand in growing cantaloupes. Or the processing/packaging process. You probably don’t work in produce shipping or at a grocery store. So, what can you do?
Believe it or not, you can help protect yourself and your family from melon-related foodborne illness with a few simple steps.
When selecting melons, you are most likely looking for the most perfect, sweetest option. Knocking on it or carefully assessing its weight to size ratio are common practices. But there is another detail you will need to keep an eye out for.
Check for bruising or cuts in the rind. A compromised outer rind can allow harmful bacteria on the outside of the fruit to make their way inside the fleshy part that you eat.
Even if it is a small spot, skip it. Another perfect melon awaits!
Proper melon storage is also an important safety step. This even begins at the grocery store. Storing raw meats separate from produce and ready-to-eat foods helps prevent contamination.
Gotta keep em’ separated!
The most important thing you can do to help prevent illness associated with whole melons may sound foreign to you. Wash it!
Many people skip this step when it comes to fruits that you do not consume the outer layer. Cantaloupes, Watermelons, Avocados, and more!
When you cut a whole cantaloupe, melon, or avocado, the knife can drag bacteria from the surface though to the delicious part that you eat. Washing cantaloupe or melon chunks is not a common practice (and with the porous nature of the fruit, the action may not be successful anyway), so washing prior to cutting is key!
Always wash melons – or any fruit or vegetable for that matter, before eating or preparing it!
Have you or a loved one become sick from consuming contaminated cantaloupe in an outbreak? A food poisoning lawyer can help. The Lange Law Firm, PLLC is experienced at helping hold responsible those that have impacted the health and well-being of their clients and their families.
Call (833) 330-3663 or fill out the online submission form for a free consultation to go over the details of your case.
By: Heather Van Tassell (contributing writer, non-lawyer)
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