Seven tips for safer cantaloupes

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued a warning on cantaloupes produced by a Honduran grower and packer, which have been linked to cases of Salmonella. According to the agency, there have been reports of 50 illnesses in 16 states (and a further nine cases in Canada), which are linked to consumption of the cantaloupes. The melons are from Agropecuaria Montelibano, a grower that produces 2.5 million boxes of cantaloupes each year for the United States.

This alert adds to the intense scrutiny that imported products have recently come under in the United States and adds to Consumers Union's position on stronger border detection and country of origin labeling. "The FDA only has funding to inspect less than 1 percent of the imported food that comes into the country, so what you see here is typical," said Jean Halloran, director of food policy initiatives at Consumers Union. "We discover the problem through reporting of the disease in people, not through detection at the border."

If you have recently bought cantaloupe, the FDA advises you to check with the place of purchase to determine if the fruit came from this Honduran grower. If so, throw it out immediately. The cantaloupes were distributed in cardboard cartons with the brands "Mikes Melons" or "Mayan Pride" with "Produce of Honduras" printed on the carton's four side panels.

"We have been fighting for years for country of origin labeling, so that in just this type of situation, consumers will know where their cantaloupes come from," said Halloran. "It was enacted as law in 2002, but Congress repeatedly delayed it at the request of industry. Now, it's supposed to go into effect as of a September 2008 deadline."

The cause is not clear yet of this particular Salmonella outbreak, but there are a number of possible scenarios, including contaminating by wildlife or human handlers. Salmonella is a group of bacteria that can cause diarrhea and it is transmitted through the feces of people or animals.

To safely enjoy cantaloupe, the FDA recommends the following precautions:

• Purchase cantaloupes that are not bruised or damaged. If you buy it freshly cut, make sure it is refrigerated or surrounded by ice.
• Refrigerate the fruit promptly after buying it.
• Wash your hands with hot, soapy water before and after handling fresh cantaloupe.
• Scrub the outside of whole cantaloupes by using a clean produce brush and cool tap water immediately before eating.
• Cut away any bruised or damaged parts of the melon before eating it.
• Throw out leftover cut cantaloupe if left at room temperature for more than two hours.
• Use clean cutting surface and utensils when cutting melon and wash them with hot water and soap afterwards.

Read more on protecting yourself from food-borne illness.

--Nicole A. Sarrubbo, Editorial Assistant

—Aaron Bailey