WASHINGTON (AP) — The Food and Drug Administration is detaining mango imports from a Mexican packing house after the company's mangoes were linked to salmonella illnesses in 15 states.
The FDA announced the import alert Friday against Agricola Daniella, a mango supplier with multiple plantations and a single packing house located in Sinaloa, Mexico. The alert means the United States won't accept the imports unless the company can show testing that proves the mangoes are safe.
A California importer recalled the Daniella brand mangoes last month after they were linked by U.S. officials to dozens of illnesses around the country, most of them in California. The mangoes were sold at various U.S. retailers between July 12 and Aug. 29.
The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Friday that the illness count is now at 121. No deaths have been reported.
The Mexican government said an exhaustive study by Mexican authorities found no contamination at the packing house. Officials said they determined there was no connection between the Mexican product and the U.S. outbreak.
The most common symptoms of salmonella are diarrhea, abdominal cramps and fever within eight hours to 72 hours of eating a contaminated product. Salmonella can be life-threatening to some who have weakened immune systems.
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Associated Press writer E. Eduardo Castillo in Mexico City contributed to this report.
