Trevor Suslow is a cooperative extension specialist in the Department of Vegetable Crops at UC Davis. His research and extension program centers on studying the effects of microflora on the postharvest quality of perishable produce. He was perfect to write on what consumers should do with Salmonella and Cantaloupe. Download his ideas here.
According to the CDC, between January 18 and March 5, 2008, state health departments identified 50 ill persons in 16 states infected with Salmonella Litchfield with the same genetic fingerprint. Ill persons with the outbreak strain have been reported from Arizona (1 person), California (10), Colorado (1), Georgia (2), Illinois (1), Missouri (1), New Jersey (2), New Mexico (1), New York (5), Ohio (1), Oklahoma (2), Oregon (5), Tennessee (1), Utah (5), Washington (9), and Wisconsin (3). In addition, 9 ill persons with the outbreak strain have been reported in Canada.
We have been contacted by several people who believe they contracted Salmonella by eating this fruit. We shall see.