Salmonella Linked to Cantaloupe

About three dozen people in the U.S. and Canada have been sickened in recent weeks by Mexican cantaloupe contaminated with a rare form of salmonella bacteria--the third such outbreak in three years.

Importer I. Kunik Co. of McAllen, Texas, said Monday that it was voluntarily recalling all cantaloupe sold under the Susie brand, which was responsible for the Salmonella poona outbreak.

Eight of the 36 illnesses have been reported in California, and more cases in the state are being investigated, said Ben Sun, an epidemiologist with the California Department of Health Services.

The cantaloupe came from farms near Guerrero, Mexico, Kunik said. That is about 40 miles from the origin of cantaloupe responsible for last year’s outbreak.

About 25,000 boxes of the fruit are being taken off shelves in eight states and Canada. Kunik executives say all of the Susie brand cantaloupe in California has been consumed or disposed of.

No fatalities have been reported, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

The last illness associated with the outbreak was reported April 25, but because of the lag time in collecting and analyzing samples, government officials say there could be additional cases confirmed in the weeks ahead.

FDA officials say they are still working to determine how widespread the problem is.

“We’re still trying to sort all of that out,” said an FDA official who asked not to be named.

Salmonella poona causes the same symptoms as other types of salmonella, including fever, abdominal cramps and diarrhea, usually one to three days after tainted food is ingested.

It is not generally life-threatening, but it can pose greater danger to the elderly, young children and those with weakened immune systems.

Last year, more than 30 illnesses and two fatalities were reported from Salmonella poona-contaminated cantaloupe. The year before, this type of tainted cantaloupe sickened 39 people in five states.

Analysts say the pattern points to weaknesses in the government’s inspection system.

Fruit from farms in problem regions can be sold under a different brand name by another distributor and avoid rigorous scrutiny.

Meanwhile, California growers worry that the outbreak will dampen demand and prices when their season starts in coming weeks.

“It depressed prices for a month and a half last year,” said Dan Robinson, a grower in Blythe.

Salmonella bacteria, which cling to the melons’ rough surface, can come from contaminated water, manure used as fertilizer or other sources.

FDA officials say consumers can reduce their risk of food-borne illness by washing their hands and cutting surfaces before and after handling produce and washing melons with cool water and a clean produce brush.