FDA Expands Cantaloupe Recall Nationwide as Salmonella Infections Skyrocket

If you recently bought cantaloupe from the grocery store, you may want to check its label before consuming. At least six brands of whole and pre-cut cantaloupes have been recalled due to salmonella contamination, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

The initial recall included Sofia Produce LLC (which operates under the name Trufresh), Vinyard brand pre-cut cantaloupe, and ALDI whole cantaloupe and pre-cut fruit products. At the time, about 43 people in 15 states were infected in the outbreak, including 17 people who were hospitalized, the Associated Press reports.

Now, the recall has expanded to include Rudy brand whole cantaloupes, and Freshness Guaranteed brand and RaceTrac brand pre-cut cantaloupes. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention nearly 100 people have gotten sick from the cantaloupe, including 45 hospitalizations and two deaths.

The recall has impacted 32 states so far. Arizona, Missouri, Minnesota, Wisconsin and Ohio have the highest number of cases, according to the CDC's map. However, the product may have reached consumers through retail produce markets that may be located in states other than those listed.

Illness usually occurs within 12 to 72 hours after eating contaminated food and usually lasts four to seven days. Symptoms may include diarrhea, fever, loss of balance, and muscle aches. Children younger than five, the elderly, and people with weakened immune systems are more likely to have severe infections, according to the FDA.

The FDA is urging consumers, restaurants, retailers, and wholesalers to avoid eating, selling, or serving recalled cantaloupe or recalled products containing cantaloupe.