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Cantaloupes, a Fruit with a Problem

Cantaloupes, a Fruit with a Problem

Posted by Bill Marler on February 04, 2012

Although the 2011 cantaloupe outbreak that sickened 146 and killed 30 (with an additional two dying over the last months) and one miscarriage was the first known Listeria outbreak associated with cantaloupe, cantaloupe outbreaks are by no means a new phenomenon. Since 1985, in fact, there have been no less than 15 recognized outbreaks (thanks to www.outbreakdatabase.com) in the US involving cantaloupes, grown domestically and internationally:

No.	Year	State(s)	Confirmed Illnesses	Pathogen	Description
1	1985	Wisconsin	16	Campylobacter	Melon or Cantaloupe.
2	1990	30 States	245	Salmonella	Cut cantaloupe at salad bars.
3	1991	International, including U.S.	400	Salmonella	Likely Mexican cantaloupe.
4	1997	California	24	Salmonella	Mexican cantaloupe.
5	1998	Ontario, Canada	22	Salmonella	Cantaloupe.
6	1999	Iowa	61	Norovirus	Restaurant, cantaloupe or melon.
7	2000	California, Oregon, Colorado, Washington, New Mexico, Nevada	47	Salmonella	Mexican cantaloupe.
8	2001	Multi-state and International	50	Salmonella	Viva Brand cantaloupe.
9	2002	California, Minnesota, Oregon, Arkansas, Vermont, Nevada, Texas	58	Salmonella	Susie Brand cantaloupe.
10	2003	New York, Ohio, New Mexico, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Missouri	58	Salmonella	Day care center and private homes, cantaloupe/honeydew melon.
11	2006	Multi-State and International	41	Salmonella	Cantaloupe cut at processing facility in Canada.
12	2007	California	11	Salmonella	Private home.
13	2008	Multi-State	53	Salmonella	Agropecuraria Mobtelibano cantaloupe, from Honduras.
14	2008	California	23	Norovirus	Restaurant, melon and cantaloupe.
15	2011	Multi-State	20	Salmonella	Del Monte cantaloupe.

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Comments (3)

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Carl Custer - February 5, 2012 8:44 AM

You missed a couple implicating watermelon or cantaloupe:
August 08 Colorado, Salmonella: Fruit, Melon, Cantaloupe, Watermelon
September 02 Washington, Salmonella: Fruit, Melon, Cantaloupe, Grapes, Watermelon

I'm surprised there weren't more cucumbers. But, cucumbers don't always grow in contact with the ground (buy the ones without the yellow spot indicating they grew up on the vine -- but -- wash them anyway).

Jorge Casale - February 6, 2012 8:35 AM

External contamination of fruits and vegetables is always possible if handled in any way. Even using best processing practices there is a certain amount of risk of contamination. Frutis that are to be eaten not peeled, or those that their external surfaces may get in contact with other foods must be thoroughly rinsed with properly chlorinated water, or at least with pure clear clean drinking water. To expect that fruits and vegetables leave packing plants sterile, is an absurdity.

Minkpuppy - February 7, 2012 8:39 PM

I thought I saw something about a recall of sliced watermelon imported from Brazil yesterday. I didn't have a chance to read the article so it wil take me a minute to find it again.