VA Food Recall: Pre-Cut Melons Linked To Salmonella Outbreak

VIRGINIA — A recall of fresh cut melons distributed by an Indiana company that have been linked to a salmonella outbreak has expanded to 15 more states in the last two days, including Virginia, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. So far, the Centers for Disease Control says that 60 people in five states have been sickened by the tainted melons; 31 patients required hospitalization. In total, 23 states are now part of the recall.

Several Virginia retailers are among the businesses that sold the melons deemed at risk. The products were sold at Costco, Kroger, Sprouts, Trader Joe's, Walgreens, Walmart, and Whole Foods/Amazon.

Caito Foods, LLC recalled fresh cut watermelon, honeydew melon, cantaloupe, and fresh-cut fruit medley products containing one of these melons on June 8. The initial states in the recall were Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Missouri, North Carolina, and Ohio.

But on Thursday the FDA said Maryland and Virginia are among 15 additional states subject to the fruit recall. Stores in Iowa, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wisconsin received the potentially contaminated product, officials said Tuesday.

As of June 14, retailers in Alabama, California, Florida, Kansas, Maryland, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Tennessee had also been added to the list.

The CDC says the recalled products are likely the source of the outbreak. Most people who became ill reported eating cantaloupe, watermelon or a fruit salad mix bought from the grocery stores. The illnesses reported in the outbreak began between April 30 and May 28. So far, six people in Illinois became ill; 11 in Indiana, 32 in Michigan, 10 in Missouri and one in Ohio. The ages of the ill people range from less than one year old to 97. No deaths have been reported.

Consuming products contaminated with Salmonella may result in serious illness, health experts warn. It can also produce serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people and others with weakened immune systems. Healthy individuals infected with Salmonella can suffer fever, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain. In rare circumstances, infection with Salmonellacan result in the organism getting into the bloodstream and producing more severe illnesses such as arterial infections (i.e., infected aneurysms), endocarditis and arthritis.

Consumers seeking information may call 844-467-7278 Monday through Friday, from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. CT and Saturday and Sunday from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. CT.

The Food and Drug Administration says retailers and wholesale customers should check their inventories and shelves to confirm that none of the products are present or available for purchase by consumers or in warehouse inventories. Because it is possible that products shipped between April 17 and June 7 could still be on store shelves, this recall extends to both retailers and consumers.

You can see a list of the recalled products here.

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— Includes reporting by Patch Editor Feroze Dhanoa

Photo via CDC