Category Archives: outbreak

FDA Update – Outbreak Investigation of Salmonella: Cantaloupes (November 2023)

FDA

Products and Stores Affected (Updated on 12/7/2023)

Recalled whole cantaloupe from the following brands:

  • Whole fresh cantaloupes with a label on the cantaloupe that says “Malichita” or “Rudy”, “4050”, and “Product of Mexico/produit du Mexique”.
  • Retailers and wholesalers would have received recalled whole melons from Crown Jewels Produce in boxes labeled “Malichita/Z Farms” or from Sofia Produce doing business as TruFresh in boxes labeled “Malichita” or “Rudy”, or from Pacific Trellis in corrugated cartons with certain lot codes.

Recalled pre-cut cantaloupe and products containing pre-cut cantaloupes (these products are made from recalled whole cantaloupes):

  • ALDIExternal Link Disclaimer cantaloupe, cut cantaloupe, and pineapple spears in clamshell packaging with Best-by dates between October 27 and October 31 and sold in IL, IN, IA, KY, MI, and WI.
  • Vinyard cantaloupe chunks and cubes, fruit mixes, melon medleys, and fruit cups containing cantaloupe. Most have a “Vinyard” label, and some have a red label with “Fresh” sold between October 30 and November 10 in Oklahoma stores.
  • Freshness Guaranteed (sold at select WalmartExternal Link Disclaimer stores) seasonal blend, melon trio, melon mix, fruit blend, fruit bowl, seasonal fruit tray, fruit mix, and cantaloupe chunks; and RaceTrac fruit medley sold in clear square or round plastic containers. Recalled products were sold at select retail stores in IN, MI, OH, KY, NC, TN, VA, IL, TX, and LA (see recall announcement for lot codes and “best by” dates).
  • KwikTrip 6-oz mixed fruit cup, 6-oz cantaloupe cup, and 16-oz fruit tray distributed to Kwik Trip, Kwik Star, Stop-N-Go, Tobacco Outlet Plus Grocery, and Tobacco Outlet Plus convenience stores in WI, MN, IA, MI, IL, and SD.
  • Bix Produce 5.75-oz Created Fresh! cantaloupe Grab N’ Go fruit cups, Created Fresh! Grab N’ Go mixed fruit cups, and Jack & Olive mixed fruit cups sold in MN, ND, SD, and WI.
  • GHGA pre-cut products containing cantaloupe branded as Sprouts Farmers Market, Trader Joes, and unbranded products sold at Kroger. Recalled products were distributed to Kroger stores in AL and GA, Sprout’s Farmers Market stores in AL, GA, NC, and SC, and Trader Joe’s stores in AL, FL, GA, SC, and TN (see recall for lot codes and “sell-by” dates).
  • Cut Fruit Express Caribou Coffee Fruit Mix CHPG 6.5oz and Cut Fruit Express-brand of 6.5oz, 15oz, 16oz, 32oz packages of Fruit Mix containing cantaloupes. This recall also includes food service packages of cantaloupe chunks and fruit mixes containing cantaloupe.
  • TGD Cuts, LLC fresh-cut fruit cup, clamshell and tray products containing cantaloupe.

FDA has compiled a list of recalls being conducted by companies that received and used recalled melons to make pre-cut cantaloupe or products containing pre-cut cantaloupes. This list will be updated as the agency receives notifications of new recalls.

FDA’s investigation is ongoing. Updates to this advisory will be provided as they become available.

USA – Salmonella Outbreak Linked to Cantaloupes – Update

CDC

Fast Facts
  • Illnesses: 230   (113 new)
  • Hospitalizations: 96   (35 new)
  • Deaths: 3   (1 new)
  • States: 38   (4 new)
  • Recall: Yes
  • Investigation status: Active   (first posted on November 17, 2023)

CDC is concerned about this outbreak because the illnesses are severe and people in long-term care facilities and childcare centers have gotten sick. Do not eat pre-cut cantaloupes if you don’t know whether Malichita or Rudy brand cantaloupes were used.

USA – Updated GHGA, LLC, in Coordination with Sofia Produce, LLC DBA Trufresh, Voluntarily Recalls Select Fresh-Cut Fruit Products Due to Possible Salmonella Contamination

FDA

The company has issued a correction to the previous announcement.

CONLEY, GA – December 4, 2023 – Updated states distributed to for Sprouts to include Florida and remove Alabama. No additional products or dates have been added.

GHGA, LLC is voluntarily recalling select fresh-cut products made from whole cantaloupe subject to a previously announced product recall initiated by Sofia Produce, LLC dba Trufresh, due to potential Salmonella contamination.

All GHGA fresh-cut fruit products associated with the recalled whole cantaloupe associated with the outbreak have expired, however consumers who have purchased these items and may have frozen them for later use are urged not to consume the products and to dispose of them immediately or return the items to their local store for a full refund.

As of November 29, there have been no illnesses reported related to GHGA fresh-cut products.

The fresh-cut fruit products containing recalled cantaloupe were distributed to Kroger stores in Alabama and Georgia, Sprouts stores in Florida, Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina, and Trader Joe’s retail stores in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, and Tennessee. The products are packaged in clear square or round plastic containers, marked with a “sell by” date and a lot code on the label.

Voluntarily recalled items include the specific products, lot codes, and expiration dates below. No other products are affected.

Products Table – (PDF-134KB)

According to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), several illnesses have been reported to date in connection with the whole cantaloupe recalled by Sofia Produce, LLC dba Trufresh, however, as of November 29, no illnesses have been confirmed to be associated with GHGA products.

Consumers who have questions or would like to report adverse reactions should contact customer service at 888.449.9386 Monday through Friday, 8 AM to 5 PM PT.

FDA Outbreak Advisory

USA – Public Health looking into Salmonella outbreak associated with Seattle church

Kiro 7

SEATTLE — King County Public Health is looking into a salmonella outbreak connected to the Hope International Church in Seattle.

Public Health said it interviewed people who got sick after eating homemade dishes served at the church potluck.

So far, seven people from five different households have been reported sick and one person has been hospitalized.

USA – 183 sick, 80 hospitalized with 3 deaths due to Salmonella – tainted Cantaloupe – Canada – Cantaloupe Salmonella Outbreak – 66 sick, 19 hospitalized with 1 death

Food Poison Journal

The updated number in the United States:

• Illnesses: 117

• Hospitalizations: 61

• Deaths: 2

• States: 34

In Canada the numbers have been just updated – on December 1, 2023 it was 66 sick, 19 hospitalized and 1 death.

USA – Pacific Trellis Fruit Recalls Malichita Brand Cantaloupes Due to Possible Health Risk – Salmonella – The company has issued a correction to the previous announcement.

FDA

Los Angeles, CA, December 1, 2023…Pacific Trellis Fruit, LLC is initiating a voluntary recall of 4,872 cases of Malichita brand whole cantaloupe. The voluntary recall is due to the FDAs ongoing investigation of an outbreak involving Malichita brand cantaloupe. The cantaloupes have the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella. Salmonella is an organism which can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems. Healthy people may experience fever, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea (which may be bloody), and abdominal pain. In rare cases the organism can get into the bloodstream and produce more severe illnesses such as arterial infections (i.e., infected aneurysms), endocarditis and arthritis.

The products were distributed between October 18th – 26th in California, Illinois, Oklahoma, Texas, Wisconsin, and Canada and sold in various retail supermarkets. The whole cantaloupe is packed in corrugated cartons, the price look-up sticker is labeled “Malichita.”

Brand Item Description PLU Lot Code
Malichita Whole Cantaloupe 4050 21651
Malichita Whole Cantaloupe 4050 21699
Malichita Whole Cantaloupe 4050 21775
Malichita Whole Cantaloupe 4050 21787
Malichita Whole Cantaloupe 4050 21870

This is an ongoing outbreak, and several illnesses have been reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the United States and Canada. To date, Pacific Trellis Fruit has not received any reports of illness.

Customers who have purchased these products are urged not to consume the products and should dispose of them. Consumers may contact Pacific Trellis Fruit for further information at 323-859-9600 Monday – Friday 9AM – 5PM PST. Consumers with concerns about an illness from consumption of this product should contact a health care provider.

Japan – 12 hit by food poisoning after tasting apples at east Japan orchard; STEC E. coli detected

Mainichi

MITO — A total of 12 people became ill after tasting apples at an east Japan orchard, the Ibaraki Prefectural Government announced on Nov. 29.

The prefecture concluded it was a food poisoning case after the pathogenic O157 strain of the E. coli bacteria was detected in the victim’s excrement.

Outbreak Investigation of Salmonella: Cantaloupes (November 2023) Updated 11/30/2023

FDA

Products and Stores Affected (Expanded and Updated on 11/30/2023)

Recalled whole cantaloupe from the following brands:

  • Whole fresh cantaloupes with a label on the cantaloupe that says “Malichita” or “Rudy”, “4050”, and “Product of Mexico/produit du Mexique”.
  • Retailers and wholesalers would have received recalled whole melons from Crown Jewels Produce in boxes labeled “Malichita/Z Farms” or from Sofia Produce doing business as TruFresh in boxes labeled “Malichita” or “Rudy”, or from Pacific Trellis in corrugated cartons with certain lot codes.

Recalled pre-cut cantaloupe and products containing pre-cut cantaloupes (these products are made from recalled whole cantaloupes):

  • ALDIExternal Link Disclaimer cantaloupe, cut cantaloupe, and pineapple spears in clamshell packaging with Best-by dates between October 27 and October 31 and sold in IL, IN, IA, KY, MI, and WI.
  • Vinyard cantaloupe chunks and cubes, fruit mixes, melon medleys, and fruit cups containing cantaloupe. Most have a “Vinyard” label, and some have a red label with “Fresh” sold between October 30 and November 10 in Oklahoma stores.
  • Freshness Guaranteed (sold at select WalmartExternal Link Disclaimer stores) seasonal blend, melon trio, melon mix, fruit blend, fruit bowl, seasonal fruit tray, fruit mix, and cantaloupe chunks; and RaceTrac fruit medley sold in clear square or round plastic containers. Recalled products were sold at select retail stores in IN, MI, OH, KY, NC, TN, VA, IL, TX, and LA (see recall announcement for lot codes and “best by” dates).
  • KwikTrip 6-oz mixed fruit cup, 6-oz cantaloupe cup, and 16-oz fruit tray distributed to Kwik Trip, Kwik Star, Stop-N-Go, Tobacco Outlet Plus Grocery, and Tobacco Outlet Plus convenience stores in WI, MN, IA, MI, IL, and SD.
  • Bix ProduceExternal Link Disclaimer 5.75-oz Created Fresh! cantaloupe Grab N’ Go fruit cups, Created Fresh! Grab N’ Go mixed fruit cups, and Jack & Olive mixed fruit cups sold in MN, ND, SD, and WI.
  • GHGA pre-cut products containing cantaloupe branded as Sprouts Farmers Market, Trader Joes, and unbranded products sold at Kroger. Recalled products were distributed to Kroger stores in AL and GA, Sprout’s Farmers Market stores in AL, GA, NC, and SC, and Trader Joe’s stores in AL, FL, GA, SC, and TN (see recall for lot codes and “sell-by” dates).

FDA has compiled a list of recalls being conducted by companies that received and used recalled melons to make pre-cut cantaloupe or products containing pre-cut cantaloupes. This list will be updated as the agency receives notifications of new recalls.

FDA’s investigation is ongoing. Updates to this advisory will be provided as they become available.

Symptoms of Salmonella Infection

Illness usually occurs within 12 to 72 hours after eating contaminated food and usually lasts four to seven days. Symptoms include diarrhea, fever, and abdominal cramps. Children younger than five, the elderly, and people with weakened immune systems are more likely to have severe infections.

Status

Ongoing: updates to this advisory will be provided as they become available.

Recommendation

  • Consumers, restaurants, retailers, and wholesalers should not eat, sell, or serve recalled cantaloupe or recalled products containing cantaloupe.
  • Some consumers freeze cantaloupe for later use. Consumers, restaurants, and retailers should check their freezers and throw away recalled fresh or cut cantaloupe that was frozen for later use.
  • If you cannot tell if your cantaloupe, including pre-cut cantaloupe or products containing pre-cut cantaloupe is part of the recall, do not eat or use it and throw it away.
  • Retailers and wholesalers would have received recalled whole melons from Crown Jewels Produce in boxes labeled “Malichita/Z Farms” or from Sofia Produce doing business as TruFresh in boxes labeled “Malichita” or “Rudy”, or from Pacific Trellis in corrugated cartons with certain lot codes.
  • Anyone who purchased or received recalled cantaloupes should follow FDA’s safe handling and cleaning advice and use extra vigilance in cleaning and sanitizing any surfaces and containers that may have come in contact with recalled products to reduce the risk of cross-contamination.
    • Pre-cut fruit manufacturers should ensure proper cleaning and sanitizing of food contact surfaces and evaluate the need to recall additional product due to the potential for cross-contamination in the processing facility.
  • Contact your healthcare provider if you think you may have symptoms of a Salmonella infection after eating recalled cantaloupe.

Canada – Mixed Melon Chunks recalled due to Salmonella

CFIA

None- Mixed Melon Chunks - 199 g - Top

Product
Mixed Melon Chunks
Issue
Food – Microbial Contamination – Salmonella
What to do

Do not consume, use, sell, serve or distribute recalled products

Distribution
Manitoba

The affected product is being recalled from the marketplace due to possible Salmonella contamination.

What you should do

  • If you think you became sick from consuming a recalled product, contact your healthcare provider
  • Check to see if you have recalled products
  • Do not consume, serve, use, sell, or distribute recalled products
  • Recalled products should be thrown out or returned to the location where they were purchased

USA – GHGA, LLC, in Coordination with Sofia Produce, LLC DBA Trufresh, Voluntarily Recalls Select Fresh-Cut Fruit Products Due to Possible Salmonella Contamination

FDA

Cantaloupe Chunks, 9 oz.

CONLEY, GA – November 29, 2023 – GHGA, LLC is voluntarily recalling select fresh-cut products made from whole cantaloupe subject to a previously announced product recall initiated by Sofia Produce, LLC dba Trufresh, due to potential Salmonella contamination.

All GHGA fresh-cut fruit products associated with the recalled whole cantaloupe associated with the outbreak have expired, however consumers who have purchased these items and may have frozen them for later use are urged not to consume the products and to dispose of them immediately or return the items to their local store for a full refund.

As of November 29, there have been no illnesses reported related to GHGA fresh-cut products. According to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), several illnesses have been reported to date in connection with the whole cantaloupe recalled by Sofia Produce, LLC dba Trufresh, however, as of November 29, no illnesses have been confirmed to be associated with GHGA products.

The fresh-cut fruit products containing recalled cantaloupe were distributed to Kroger stores in Alabama and Georgia, Sprouts stores in Alabama, Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina, and Trader Joe’s retail stores in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, and Tennessee. The products are packaged in clear square or round plastic containers, marked with a “sell by” date and a lot code on the label.

Voluntarily recalled items include the specific products, lot codes, and expiration dates below. No other products are affected.

Products Table – (PDF-194KB)

Consumers who have questions or would like to report adverse reactions should contact customer service at 888.449.9386 Monday through Friday, 8 AM to 5 PM PT.

FDA Outbreak Advisory