ATLANTA – Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Missouri, North Carolina, and Ohio are among states being impacted by a salmonella outbreak thought to be linked to pre-cut melon spreading across the country.
On June 8, 2018, Caito Foods, LLC recalled fresh cut watermelon, honeydew melon, cantaloupe, and fresh-cut fruit medley products containing one of these melons produced at the Caito Foods facility in Indianapolis, Indiana.
Recalled products were sold in clear, plastic clamshell containers at Costco, Jay C, Kroger, Payless, Owen’s, Sprouts, Trader Joe’s, Walgreens, Walmart, and Whole Foods/Amazon.
The investigation is ongoing to determine if products went to additional stores or states.
Do not eat recalled products. Check your fridge and freezer for them and throw them away or return them to the place of purchase for a refund.
If you don’t remember where you bought pre-cut melon, don’t eat it and throw it away.
60 people infected with the outbreak strain have been reported and 31 people have been hospitalized—no deaths have been reported.
The CDC says that pre-cut melon supplied by Caito Foods, LLC of Indianapolis, Indiana is a likely source of this multistate outbreak.
Most of the ill people reported eating pre-cut cantaloupe, watermelon, or a fruit salad mix with melon purchased from grocery stores.
Epidemiologic and preliminary traceback evidence indicates that pre-cut melon supplied by the Caito Foods, LLC of Indianapolis, Indiana is a likely source of this multistate outbreak.
In interviews, ill people answered questions about the foods they ate and other exposures in the week before they became ill. Twenty-five (64%) of 39 people interviewed reported eating pre-cut melon purchased from grocery stores, including cantaloupe, watermelon, or a fruit salad mix with melon. An additional seven people reported consuming melons but did not specify if it was pre-cut.
