The recent cantaloupe recall has been expanded due to additional possible salmonella contamination. All of the recalls involve cantaloupes that were grown, packed, and shipped by, Agropecuaria Montelibano of San Lorenzo Valle, Honduras. Cantaloupes from Agropecuaria Montelibano have been linked to an outbreak of salmonella in both the US and Canada Consumers should be aware that the recalled fruit may have been sold in a variety of ways:
- Simply Fresh Fruit brand food service Fruit Mix in Syrup: Products were dated sell by 4-18-08 or earlier. Food service distributors that sell their own brand have been notified and are recalling the products involved. Food service products are packed in plastic pails or jars; retail products are packed in plastic trays.
- Food Service Cantaloupe Chunks in Syrup: Products were dated sell by 4-8-08 or earlier. Food service distributors that sell their own brand have been notified and are recalling the products involved. Food service products are packed in plastic pails or jars; retail products are packed in plastic trays.
- Retail and club store Simply Fresh, Fresh Cut Fruit Brand containing cantaloupe dated sell by 3-29-08 or earlier. Food service distributors that sell their own brand have been notified and are recalling the products involved. Food service products are packed in plastic pails or jars; retail products are packed in plastic trays.
- Dole Fresh Fruit Company—Honduran cantaloupes. Cantaloupes were distributed in cardboard cartons with the brand “Dole” and “PRODUCE OF HONDURAS” printed on each of the carton’s side panels.
- Bounty Fresh, LLC—Cantaloupes. Packed three melons per sleeve under the brand name Chestnut Hill Farms; one melon per sleeve under the brand name Perfect Melon. Individual melons are not labeled, but sleeves contain tags that say either Perfect Melon or Chestnut Hill Farms. Whole cantaloupes were sold in boxes marked with Cantaloupe, Chestnut Hill Farms (three count) or Perfect Melon (one count), PRODUCE OF HONDURAS, Grown, Packed and Shipped by Agropecuaria Montelibano, San Lorenzo, Valle, Honduras. All boxes contain the Chestnut Hill Farms logo.
- Chiquita Brands, International, Inc. and Central American Produce—Cantaloupes. Distributed in cardboard cartons with the brands “Mike’s Melons,” “Mayan Pride,” and “Chiquita” all showing “PRODUCE OF HONDURAS” printed on each of the side panels of the carton. The shipper address appears on one end panel of the carton: Grown, Packed, and Shipped by Agropecuaria Montelibano, San Lorenzo, Valle, Honduras.
Other distributors conducting recalls include T.M. Kovacevich Inc., Tropifresh Inc., Spokane Produce Inc., and Charlie’s Produce. Consumers with questions may visit the U.S. Food and Drug Administrations Web site at www.fda.gov for more information.
The salmonella organism can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections. Diarrhea, fever, and abdominal cramps generally occur within 12 to 72 hours of infection and the illness lasts a week; most recover without treatment. In some, hospitalization is required because the infection may have spread from the intestines to the blood stream and other body sites.
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