Burch Equipment LLC of North Carolina is expanding the recall of cantaloupes that was announced on July 28, 2012. Now, 13,888 cases of whole Athena variety cantaloupes, with 9 cantaloupes per case, and 581 bins (with 110 cantaloupes per bin) are recalled for possible Listeria monocytogenes contamination. The melons affected by this recall total 188,902. This recall expansion is based on unsanitary conditions found at the cantaloupe packing shed.
The cantloupes were shipped between July 15, 2012 and July 27, 2012, and distributed to retail stores in Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Maryland, North Carolina, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, and Virginia. The whole cantaloupes have a red label reading “Burch Farms”, with reference PLU #4319. All cantaloupes were grown by Burch Farms, but some of the cantaloupes may have a “Cottle Strawberry, Inc” sticker with PLU #4319. Cottle Farms is not involved in this recall. The cases are corrugated boxes.
Athena cantaloupes are most commonly grown in the eastern United States. Burch Equipment LLC is requesting that anyone who purchased these cantaloupes discard them. No illnesses have been reported to date, although it can take up to 70 days for symptoms of Listeria infections to manifest. For questions, call Burch Equipment at 910-267-5781 Monday through Friday from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm.
