The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and state and local partners are investigating a multi-state outbreak of Salmonella Carrau illnesses linked to pre-cut melon products.
These products — containing cantaloupe, honeydew or watermelon or mixtures of some or all of these melons and other pre-cut fruit — were sold in Iowa and 15 other states. Twenty-five Walmart stores and two Trader Joe’s stores in Iowa were outlets for the potentially tainted fruit.
On April 12, 2019, Caito Foods LLC, of Indianapolis, Ind., voluntarily recalled products containing pre-cut melons because they are potentially contaminated with Salmonella.
Caito Foods also temporarily suspended the production and distribution of these fruit products. Salmonella Carrau is a rare type of Salmonella that has been historically seen in imported melons.
Self-reporting from Caito Foods indicates imported melons were used in the suspect pre-cut melon products.
The FDA and Indiana authorities continue to inspect and investigate the Caito Foods processing facility where these melons were cut and packed, including collecting samples for laboratory analysis. The FDA is also continuing a traceback investigation, examining shipping records to try to identify the specific source of these melons.
Consumers should not eat the recalled pre-cut melon products. The products were packaged in clear, plastic clamshell containers and distributed in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, West Virginia and Wisconsin.
Consumers who have purchased pre-cut melon products and cannot determine whether they were produced by Caito Foods should throw the fruits away.
The tainted fruits were sold at the following retailers:
- Kroger under the Renaissance Food Group label
- Kroger under Boar’s Head Private Label
- Target under the Garden Highway Label
- Trader Joes under the Trader Joes label
- Walmart under a Freshness Guaranteed label
- Amazon/Whole Foods under the Whole Foods Market Label
A list of retail establishments that may have sold these products is available on the FDA website.
Retailers and restaurants should also not serve the recalled pre-cut melons and should throw the product out.
These products were distributed by:
- Caito Foods Distribution with the label “Distributed by Caito Foods”
- Gordon Food Service with the label “Distributed by Caito Foods”
- SpartanNash Distribution with the label “Open Acres”
The potential that these products are contaminated with Salmonella was discovered through information gathered by state departments of public health.
Consumers seeking information may call 844-467-7278 Monday through Friday, 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday, 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.
