TENNESSEE ADDED TO THE LIST OF PRE-CUT MELON SALMONELLA OUTBREAK (LIST OF STORES)

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has expanded the list of states they say received pre-cut melon that may be linked to a multistate Salmonella outbreak and it includes Tennessee.

The CDC is recalling pre-cut melon and pre-made fruit salads with melon distributed to stores in 22 states— Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wisconsin—because of potential salmonella bacteria contamination.

According to the CDC, no deaths have been reported but 70 people have been sickened in seven states: Tennessee, Michigan, Illinois, Indiana, Missouri and Ohio.

Illnesses occurred from April 30 to June 3, 2018.

Those who reported illness said they had eaten pre-cut cantaloupe, watermelon, honeydew melon, or a fruit salad mix with melon. The recalled products were sold in clear containers at Costco, Jay C, Kroger, Payless, Owen’s, Sprouts, Trader Joe’s, Walgreens, Walmart and Whole Foods.

Walmart and Kroger have removed pre-cut melon linked to this outbreak from all the stores in the affected states, the CDC reported.

The agency urges consumers to throw away:

– Pre-cut melon sold at Walmart stores in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Missouri, or Ohio.
– Pre-cut melon purchased at Kroger, Jay C or Payless stores in Indiana and Michigan.
– Fruit salad containing melon purchased at Walmart, Kroger, Jay C or Payless stores in the affected states.
– Any pre-cut melon or fruit salads with melon if you don’t remember where it was purchased.
– Only pre-cut melon is affected by the recall. Whole melon is still OK to eat, the CDC said.

The agency is conducting an investigation, and preliminary evidence indicated that pre-cut melon supplied by Caito Foods, LLC of Indianapolis, Indiana is a likely source of the multistate outbreak.