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

Fresh cut melons recalled by an Indiana company on Friday have been linked to a salmonella outbreak that has infected 60 people in five states, according to the CDC. More than half of those sickened have been hospitalized. Several Alabama retailers are among the businesses that received the melons deemed at risk.

The CDC said Caito Foods, LLC recalled fresh cut watermelon, honeydew melon, cantaloupe, and fresh-cut fruit medley products containing one of these melons last week. The recalled products were distributed to Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wisconsin.

The products were sold at Costco, Kroger, Sprouts, Trader Joe's, Walgreens, Walmart, and Whole Foods.

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.

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 salmonella can 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.

— Includes reporting by Patch Editor Feroze Dhanoa

Photo via CDC