The president of Honduras is questioning an FDA alert urging American consumers to discard cantaloupes grown in his country after a salmonella outbreak sickened dozens of people. Manuel Zelaya says the contamination was in the peel of the melons, not on the inside, which indicates they may have come in contact with salmonella bacteria after they were shipped.

The alert went out Saturday about cantaloupes shipped by the Honduran grower and packer Agropecuaria Montelibano because, based on current information, fruit from this company appears to be associated with a Salmonella Litchfield outbreak in the United States and Canada.

The FDA also contacted importers and advised U.S. grocers, food service operators, and produce processors to remove from their stock any cantaloupes from this company. The FDA also advised consumers who have recently bought cantaloupes to check with the place of purchase to determine if the fruit came from this specific grower and packer. If so, consumers should throw them away.

To date, the FDA has received reports of 50 illnesses in 16 states and nine illnesses in Canada linked to the consumption of cantaloupes. No deaths have been reported, but 14 people have been hospitalized. The states are Arizona, California, Colorado, Georgia, Illinois, Missouri, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Tennessee, Utah, Washington, and Wisconsin.

The FDA recommends that consumers take the following steps to reduce the risk of contracting Salmonella or other foodborne illnesses from cantaloupes:

• Purchase cantaloupes that are not bruised or damaged. If buying fresh-cut cantaloupe, be sure it is refrigerated or surrounded by ice.
• After purchase, refrigerate cantaloupes promptly.
• Wash hands with hot, soapy water before and after handling fresh cantaloupes.
• Scrub whole cantaloupes by using a clean produce brush and cool tap water immediately before eating. Don’t use soap or detergents.
• Use clean cutting surfaces and utensils when cutting cantaloupes. Wash cutting boards, countertops, dishes, and utensils with hot water and soap between the preparation of raw meat, poultry, or seafood and the preparation of cantaloupe.
• If there happens to be a bruised or damaged area on a cantaloupe, cut away those parts before eating it.
• Leftover cut cantaloupe should be discarded if left at room temperature for more than two hours.
• Use a cooler with ice or use ice gel packs when transporting or storing cantaloupes outdoors.

Photo Credit: aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu