Salmonella Linked to Pre-cut Melon Sickens 60 in Midwest
People were sickened in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Missouri and Ohio; CDC says fruit was also distributed to stores in Georgia, Kentucky and North Carolina
SPRINGFIELD, ILL. — Health officials say a salmonella outbreak linked to pre-cut melon has sickened 60 people in five Midwestern states. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Caito Foods LLC on Friday recalled pre-cut watermelon, honeydew melon, cantaloupe and fruit medleys containing at least one of those melons that were produced at its facility in Indianapolis. It said the five states where people were sickened were Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Missouri and Ohio. The CDC said the fruit was also distributed to stores in Georgia, Kentucky and North Carolina. It was sold in clear plastic clamshell containers at Costco, Jay C, Kroger, Payless, Owen's, Sprouts, Trader Joe's, Walgreens, Walmart and Whole Foods/Amazon. Officials said people should throw away or return recalled products. The CDC said 31 of the people sickened had been hospitalized, but that there had been no deaths reported. Those sickened often develop diarrhea, fever and abdominal cramps 12 to 72 hours after eating the contaminated food. The illness often lasts four to seven days.