A Salmonella Carrau outbreak that is linked to precut melons traced to Caito Foods has been announced by the FDA. At least 93 people in 9 states are sick with the outbreak strain. Twenty-three people have been hospitalized because they are so sick.
The states where ill people live are Alabama, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Missouri, Minnesota, Ohio, and Wisconsin. The FDA report did not state how many people are sick in each state. The last illness onset date was March 31, 2019.
There was a Salmonella Adelaide outbreak in 2018, also linked to Caito Foods precut melons, that sickened at least 77 people in 9 states. Thirty-six people were hospitalized in that outbreak.
The FDA is recommending that people not eat these precut melon products, which include cantaloupe, honeydew, and watermelon, and combinations of those fruits, that are linked to the Salmonella Carrau outbreak. They were sold in clear, plastic clamshell containers and were distributed in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, West Virginia, and Wisconsin. If you aren’t sure whether or not you purchased products distributed by Caito, ask your grocery or just throw the melons away.
You can see the full list of recalled melon products, which include cantaloupe spears, melon mix, honeydew chunks, snack trays, watermelon chunks, and fruit bowls, at the FDA web site. The melon products were sold at these retailers under these brand names, although Walmart management told the FDA they removed all Caito recalled products on April 11, 2019.
- Kroger under the Renaissance Food Group label
- Kroger under Boar’s Head Private Label
- Target under the Garden Highway Label
- Trader Joes under the Trader Joes label
- Walmart under a Freshness Guaranteed label
- Amazon/Whole Foods under the Whole Foods Market Label
And these products were distributed by:
- Caito Foods Distribution with the label “Distributed by Caito Foods”
- Gordon Food Service with the label “Distributed by Caito Foods”
- SpartanNash Distribution with the label “Open Acres”
You can contact attorney Fred Pritzker for help at 1-888-377-8900 or 612-338-0202.
Food safety lawyer Fred Pritzker, who has represented many clients in Salmonella lawsuits, said, “Producers and packers of fresh produce must control pathogens to avoid outbreaks like this one. No one should get sick because they chose to buy free fruit at the grocery store.”
The FDA notice also stated that Salmonella Carrau is a rare strain that has been ‘historically seen in imported melons.” Caito Foods has told the FDA that imported melons were used to make the suspect fruit products. FDA and authorities in Indiana are investigating the Caito processing facility where the melons were cut and packed.
If you purchased any of the recalled products, do not eat them. Throw them away in a sealed garbage can so other people can’t access them, or take them back to the store. You should then wash your refrigerator, cutting boards and countertops, and utensils that may have come into contact with the melons products, and sanitize them with a mild bleach solution.
The symptoms of a Salmonella infection include a fever, nausea, vomiting, abdominal cramps and pain, and diarrhea that may be bloody. Most people recover without medical attention, but the long term consequences of this infection can be serious, and included endocarditis and high blood pressure. If you or anyone you know has been sick, see your doctor. You may be part of this Salmonella Carrau outbreak.
