Caito recalls melon products over possible Salmonella contamination

US-based fresh fruit and vegetable company Caito Foods is recalling watermelon,  honeydew melon, cantaloupe and fresh cut mixed fruit, which are produced at its facility in Indianapolis, as the products may have been contaminated with Salmonella Carrau.

Salmonella Carrau is an organism that can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems.

Caito Foods issued the recall notice after reports of illnesses were linked to these products.

The Center for Disease Control (CDC) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) have notified the company that 93 illnesses have been linked to the strain of Salmonella under investigation.

The recalled products were packaged in clear, plastic clamshell containers and distributed to various states across the US, including Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, West Virginia and Wisconsin.

The company has temporarily suspended the production and distribution of these products as the company and the FDA continue their investigations.

People who purchased the products are advised to not consume them and should promptly dispose of any remaining product.

In another development, Denver Processing, a company based in Denver, Colorado, is recalling 3,865lb of raw pork and beef products that were produced without the benefit of federal inspection and outside inspection hours, according to the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS).

The raw pork and beef products subject to recall were produced on 9 April 2019 and were shipped to retail locations in Colorado, Kansas, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming.

Earlier this month, JBS Plainwell issued a recall of 43,292lb of ground beef products as they may have been contaminated with extraneous materials, especially pieces of hard plastic.