In 2009 the California state department of public health warned consumers not to eat Del Monte brand whole cantaloupe sold between Oct. 5 and 16 at Northern California and Nevada Raley’s, Bel Air, Nob Hill Foods and Food Sources stores. Dr. Mark Horton, the department’s director, said these stores are voluntarily recalling 1,120 cartons of the cantaloupe after routine testing detected Salmonella. No illnesses have been reported from these products. Horton said the alert has been issued in case consumers still have some of the affected fruit. Anyone who bought the cantaloupe should immediately discard them or return the products to the store of purchase for a full refund.

In 2010 Del Monte Fresh Produce N.A. Inc. recalled certain cantaloupes grown and shipped from Arizona for distribution in the Detroit area. In a statement, Del Monte Fresh said the recalled cantaloupes “have the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella.” The bad cants were discovered through random testing by the Michigan Department of Agriculture. No illnesses have yet been associated with the recall. An estimated 81 cartons of cantaloupes, each containing 15 cantaloupes per carton, were distributed beginning Oct. 11 to wholesalers in Detroit who in turn sold them to other wholesalers and/or to retail and foodservice outlets. The cantaloupes have a light brown color skin on the exterior; with orange flesh. Each cantaloupe has a Del Monte® sticker with the words “Cantaloupe USA”. The cantaloupes were distributed for sale in bulk cardboard cartons. The recalled cartons of cantaloupes are dark brown cardboard with the “Del Monte” logo in red lettering and “cantaloupes” in yellow lettering on a green background.