Heeren Brothers Produce in Grand Rapids, Michigan is recalling 5,400 Athena cantaloupes that were obtained from an unidentified supplier and distributed to local independent grocers for possible Listeria monocytogenes contamination. Routine sampling by the FDA found the pathogenic bacteria.
There have been no reports of illness to date connected with the consumption of the fruit. The cantaloupes were distributed between July 23 and July 26, 2013 according to The Packer. Heeren Brothers Produce issued a recall statement today.
The cantaloupes do not have identifying stickers. The company announcement says, “after receiving notice from the FDA, Heeren Brothers Produce immediately alerted retailers and requested that they remove the produce from their shelves.”
If you have purchased cantaloupes from retailers in Michigan, do not eat them. You might want to call your grocer to find out if they stocked Heeren Brothers produce. We should be getting more information about this recall, especially if the FDA posts about it. UPDATE: This post has been updated on August 7, 2013 with information from the FDA. There have not been reports of illnesses to date related to this product. You can contact Heeren Brothers Produce for more information at 616-452-2101 Monday through Friday from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm.
There is a history of pathogenic bacteria outbreaks and cantaloupe in the summer months. In 2011, there was a large, deadly outbreak of Listeria linked to cantaloupes from Jensen Farms in Colorado. In that outbreak, 147 people were sickened in 28 states. Thirty three people died, and one pregnant woman suffered a miscarriage. Last year, a Salmonella outbreak was linked to cantaloupes grown at Chamberlain Farms. In that outbreak, two types of Salmonella (S. Typhimurium and S. Newport) sickened 261 people in 24 states. Three people died and 94 people were hospitalized.
