(RepublicanView.org) – The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently expanded a massive fruit recall as a salmonella outbreak affects nearly 100 people.
There have been 45 confirmed hospitalizations and two deaths so far. Victims who ate whole cantaloupes are reported to have eaten cantaloupes sold by “Rudy” or “Malichita.” The packaging has a sticker with the number “4050” and is labeled as a product of Mexico. Pre-cut fruit products linked to the illnesses include Freshness Guaranteed, Vinyard, RaceTrac, and ALDI. So far, cases have been reported in 32 states. The CDC expects the number of cases to rise.
The affected products are sold as both whole and pre-cut cantaloupes. Arizona, Ohio, Minnesota, Missouri, and Wisconsin have reported the highest number of cases linked to the fruit. Some were also sold in Canada, where additional cases have been reported.
Consumers are encouraged to either discard the packages or return them to the place of purchase. Salmonella transfers very easily, so consumers who purchased potentially infected fruit should also disinfect surfaces that may have come in contact with the affected products.
The FDA also used the alert to remind people that cantaloupes should be refrigerated right away and can be dangerous to eat if they are left at room temperature for as few as two hours. They should also be cleaned thoroughly before eating, regardless of whether there has been a recall. Cantaloupes are among the most recalled food product in the United States. The fruit’s porous surface is an easy spot for bacterial growth.
Symptoms of salmonella poisoning include diarrhea that lasts for more than a few days or that’s bloody, excessive vomiting, high fever, and dehydration. Symptoms can take up to six days to begin showing. Consumers who believe they have been infected should seek immediate medical attention as infections can become severe.
A voluntary recall was initially issued by Crown Jewels Produce on November 22. Two days later, Pacific Trellis also initiated a recall of cantaloupes distributed from October 18 -26. They were sold in several different retail stores.
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