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FDA Alert on Cantaloupes from Mexico

Edited by: Mary Schroeder, M.S., R.D. & Pat Kendall, Ph.D., R.D., Colorado State - Spring 2003

Last fall, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued an import alert on cantaloupe from Mexico because of unsanitary conditions that have resulted in four outbreaks of salmonellosis in the last 3 years in the U.S., including 2 deaths and 18 hospitalizations. The FDA is currently working with the government of Mexico to develop a food safety program for production, packing and shipping of fresh cantaloupes.

Because of the ability of Salmonella to grow on the rind and flesh of cantaloupe, it is considered a potentially hazardous food. The FDA recommends that consumers take the following steps with cantaloupe and other produce to reduce the risk of foodborne illness:

• Purchase produce that is not bruised or damaged. If buying fresh cut produce, be sure it is refrigerated or surrounded by ice.
• After purchase, promptly refrigerate fresh whole or cut produce. Fresh cut produce should be discarded if left at room temperature for more than two hours.
• Wash hands often with hot soapy water before and after handling fresh produce and raw animal products, as well as after using the bathroom, changing diapers, or handling pets.
• Wash all fresh fruits and vegetables with cool tap water immediately before eating. Don't use soap or detergents. Scrub produce such as melons and cucumbers with a clean produce brush. Cut away any bruised or damaged areas before eating.
• Wash surfaces often. Cutting boards, dishes, utensils, and counter tops should be washed with hot soapy water and sanitized with a solution of 1 teaspoon of chlorine bleach in one quart of water after coming in contact with fresh produce or raw meat, poultry or seafood.
• Don't cross contaminate. Use clean cutting boards and utensils when handling fresh produce. If possible, use one clean cutting board for fresh produce and a separate one for raw animal products. Do not eat ice that has come in contact with fresh produce or other raw products.
• Use a cooler with ice or use ice gel packs when transporting or storing perishable food outdoors, including cut fresh fruits and vegetables.

Sources:

1. FDA Issues Import Alert on Cantaloupes from Mexico. FDA Talk Paper. Web address: www.fda.gov/bbs/topics/ANSWERS/2002/ANS01167.html
2. Multistate outbreaks of Salmonella Serotype Poona infections associated with eating cantaloupe from Mexico - United States and Canada, 2000-2002. MMWR 51(46)1044-1047, 11/22/02.

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