FDA warns of tainted Honduran cantaloupes

The United States Food and Drug Administration has issued a warning about cantaloupe being imported from the Honduran company Agropecuaria Montelibano because its fruit appears to be connected to a Salmonella Litchfield outbreak in the United States and Canada. FDA field offices have been warned to detain all cantaloupes shipped to the United States by this firm.

U.S. grocers, foodservice operators, and produce processors have been advised to eliminate from their stock any cantaloupes from this company. The FDA also recommends consumers who have recently bought cantaloupes check with the place of purchase to tell if the fruit is from this grower and packer. If so, the cantaloupes should be thrown away.

Reports of 50 illnesses in 16 states and nine illnesses in Canada have been received related to consumption of cantaloupes. No fatalities have been reported; however, 14 people have been hospitalized. The states are Arizona, California, Colorado, Georgia, Illinois, Missouri, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Tennessee, Utah, Washington, and Wisconsin.

The FDA continues to investigate this outbreak in cooperation with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and state partners. For more information on produce safety, visit www.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/prodsafe.html.