Latest salmonella outbreak recalls include whole cantaloupes and Walmart fruit dishes
Three more cantaloupe recalls were made Wednesday in relation to a salmonella outbreak that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says has hit 15 states.
Here’s what you need to know about this most recent run of recalls.
Wasn’t there a cantaloupe recall earlier this month?
In mid-November., Sofia Produce, doing business as Trufresh, pulled Malachita cantaloupes that went to distributors in 10 states and, then, to the retail stores that are customers of those distributors.
READ MORE: Check your cantaloupes in Florida, California and other states. There’s been a recall
Aldi recalled cantaloupes, cantaloupe chunks and pineapple spears sold in stores Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Michigan, and Wisconsin. Vinyard Fruit and Vegetable recalled various fruit products sold at Oklahoma stores.
Wednesday’s recalls expand on the above.
What cantaloupes and related products got recalled most recently?
Trufresh expanded its original recall to include cantaloupes sold under the Rudy brand with “4050” on the individual stickers as well as Malichita cantaloupes with “4050” on the stickers.
Trufresh says in its recall notice that these melons were distributed to Florida, California, Texas, New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Missouri, Pennsylvania, Illinois, Arizona, Maryland, Michigan, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Tennessee, Utah, Wisconsin and Canada.
Questions about this recall can be directed to Trufresh’s Rafael Roiz, Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. through 7 p.m., Eastern time, at 520-394-7370.
Crown Jewels Produce out of Fresno, California, recalled all sizes of 1960 boxes of Malichita/Z Farms cantaloupes sold from Oct. 31 through Nov. 9. These went to Ohio and California retail stores and wholesalers. The stickers on the whole cantaloupes have “Malichita.” They came to the stores in cardboard cartons with a faux wood look and stickers with “Agropecuaria Malichita” on the boxes.
For questions about this recall, phone Crown Jewels’ Rod Sbragia at 520-281-2325, Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Eastern time.
The CF Dallas company used Trufresh cantaloupes in making RaceTrac’s Fruit Medley and eight fruit-in-plastic products sold under Walmart’s Freshness Guaranteed brand: Seasonal Blend; Melon Trio; Melon Mix; Fruit Blend; Fruit Bowl; Fruit Mix; Seasonal Fruit Tray; and Cantaloupe Chunks. Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, Kentucky, North Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, Illinois, Texas, and Louisiana.
All of these, with best by dates from Nov. 7 through Nov. 12, have been recalled.
Though all the products have expired, CF Dallas’ FDA-posted recall notice says buyers might have frozen them. If they’re in your refrigerator or freezer, return them to the store for a full refund.
If you have questions, call CF Dallas at 281-651-5400, ext. 5400, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Eastern time, Monday through Friday.
About salmonella and the current outbreak linked to cantaloupes
Among foodborne illnesses, salmonella is one of the most common, infecting about 1.35 million Americans each year, according to the CDC. Of those, about 26,500 wind up in the hospital and about 420 die. Usually, you’ll just experience fever, stomachaches and diarrhea for four to seven days. The time from ingesting salmonella to infection can be six hours to six days.
Avoiding salmonella is behind the food safety advise to wash hands, counter tops and food contact surfaces regularly, especially while working with raw turkey, raw chicken or eggs. Also, make sure your poultry is cooked to an inner temperature of 165 degrees.
The current outbreak, as of Tuesday’s CDC update, has infected 43 people, 17 of which have been hospitalized, in 15 states. Arizona leads with seven people, but the next four states with the most sickened are in the Midwest: Minnesota and Missouri each have five people ill, Illinois and Wisconsin each have four. Kentucky and Texas each have three. Two Georgians have been hit. California, Maryland, Ohio, Washington, Virginia and Oklahoma each have one person ill.
What you should do now
If you have any of the cantaloupes recalled above, return them to the seller or, at least, throw them in the garbage and make sure your pets can’t get to them. Obviously, if you feel symptoms of salmonella very intensely, go to an urgent care, emergency room or your medical professional.
