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SUNDAY, Mar 23, (News Locale) - After spinach and peanut butter, there is a fresh salmonella scare in cantaloupes from a Honduran manufacturer named Agropecuaria Montelibano, the FDA has warned consumers. The outbreak of salmonella-related illness has already sickened 50 people in 16 states, the FDA revealed.
The FDA said that the Salmonella Litchfield outbreak was currently widespread in the United States as well as Canada. 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.
Salmonella is often the culprit in food poisoning. Some of the symptoms include diarrhea, stomach ache as well as insidious fever. Although the bug is not usually fatal, the very old and the very young are at a high risk. Around 40,000 Americans are affected by some sort of food poisoning involving salmonella each year. It is estimated that 600 die as a result of this infection.
Arizona, California, Colorado, Georgia, Illinois, Missouri, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Tennessee, Utah, Washington, and Wisconsin have all reported illnesses. Some 14 people have been hospitalized with Salmonella infections, but there are no fatalities reported.
The FDA has asked consumers to purchase cantaloupes that are not bruised or damaged.
"If buying fresh-cut cantaloupe be sure it is refrigerated or surrounded by ice. Use clean cutting surfaces and utensils when cutting cantaloupes. Wash cutting boards, countertops, dishes, and utensils with hot water and soap between the preparation of raw meat, poultry, or seafood and the preparation of cantaloupe," the agency cautioned.
Salmonella is a mean bug if left untreated. The increasing number of product recalls bears testimony to the fact that better detection systems are in place. It also raises the question whether these systems are adequate enough to protect produce from contamination.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the following measures should be undertaken to prevent salmonella infection:
* Cook poultry, ground beef, and eggs thoroughly before eating. Do not eat or drink foods containing raw eggs, or raw unpasteurized milk.
* If you are served undercooked meat, poultry or eggs in a restaurant, don't hesitate to send it back to the kitchen for further cooking.
* Wash hands, kitchen work surfaces, and utensils with soap and water immediately after they have been in contact with raw meat or poultry.
* Be particularly careful with foods prepared for infants, the elderly, and the immunocompromised.
* Wash hands with soap after handling reptiles or birds, or after contact with pet feces.
* Avoid direct or even indirect contact between reptiles (turtles, iguanas, other lizards, snakes) and infants or immunocompromised persons.
* Don't work with raw poultry or meat, and an infant (e.g., feed, change diaper) at the same time.
* Mother's milk is the safest food for young infants. Breast-feeding prevents salmonellosis and many other health problems.
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