News

Pre-cut melon salmonella outbreak sickens 117: What foodservice operators should do to protect customers

April 26, 2019

Following an April 12 recall of assorted melons by Indiana-based company, Caito Foods LLC, the FDA and U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are investigating a multistate outbreak of Salmonella Carrau linked to pre-cut cantaloupe, honeydew, watermelon or mixes of those melons with other fruit, a news release said. The relatively rare type of Salmonella has historically been found in imported melons. 

FDA and Indiana authorities are inspecting the Indianapolis processing facility where the melons were cut and packed, as well as conducting a traceback investigation and examining shipping records to try to identify the specific source of these melons. 

The products were packaged in clear, plastic clamshell containers, distributed in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, West Virginia and Wisconsin. The FDA said any foodservice operator or consumer who purchased the product, as well as those who can't determine whether they were produced by Caito Foods, should throw them out. 

The pre-cut melon was distributed to foodservice outlets by Caito Foods Distribution with the label "Distributed by Caito Foods," as well as Gordon Food Service with the label "Distributed by Caito Foods" and SpartanNash Distribution with the label "Open Acres." 

In total thus far, 117 people reported symptoms, including 32 hospitalizations in Alabama, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Missouri, Minnesota, Ohio and Wisconsin. The bacteria linked to the melons can cause gastrointestinal illness and fever called salmonellosis. Most people begin to develop symptoms 12 to 72 hours after infection and are sick for four to seven days. 

Foodservice operators who have handled the products in their stores and other facilities should: 

• Relay that information to local health officials.
• Tell customers of possible exposure to Salmonella.
• Wash inside walls and shelves of the refrigerator, cutting boards, countertops and utensils that may have contacted the melons, then sanitize them with a solution of one tablespoon of chlorine bleach to one gallon of hot water and dry with a clean cloth or paper towel that has not been previously used.
• Wash and sanitize display cases and surfaces used to potentially store, serve, or prepare potentially contaminated foods.
• Wash hands with warm water and soap following the cleaning and sanitation process.
• Conduct regular frequent cleaning and sanitizing of cutting boards and utensils used in processing to help minimize the likelihood of cross-contamination.