PHILADELPHIA — With 13 confirmed fatalities so far, a
series of listeria illnesses linked to recalled Colorado cantaloupes
has become one of the deadliest food-related outbreaks in decades.
Before
the toll is finished, it might be surpassed since the early 1970s only
by the more than 50 deaths from a 1985 listeria outbreak in California
related to a Mexican-style soft cheese.
Although the recall of Jensen Farms-raised Rocky Ford melons was announced Sept. 14, concern continues for several reasons.
Listeria
is more lethal than salmonella or E. coli, two better-known
food-poisoning agents. Contaminated fruit is dangerous even with proper
refrigeration. Also, symptoms — including diarrhea, fever and muscle
aches — can be slow to appear.
“That long
incubation period is a real problem,” said Robert Tauxe of the Centers
for Disease Control. “People who ate a contaminated food two weeks ago
or even a week ago could still be falling sick weeks later.”
So just because someone seems fine a day after trying a sample doesn’t prove it’s safe.
Consumers
should look for a label saying “Colorado Grown,” “Distributed by
Frontera Produce,” “Jensenfarms.com” or “Sweet Rocky Fords,” according
to the FDA. If there’s no label, ask the store that sold it, the CDC
suggests.
Anyone with such a recalled melon should discard it and sanitize any surfaces it contacted.
Confirmed
were deaths in Maryland, Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Texas
and New Mexico. Additional fatalities were being investigated in New
Mexico, Kansas and Wyoming.
The second worst U.S.
food-related outbreak involved hot dogs and deli meats in 1998-99, in
which listeria was blamed for at least 14 deaths.
Overall,
the number of new cases, including the deaths, was up to 72, including
10 other states: Virginia, West Virginia, Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin,
Florida, Nebraska, Montana, North Dakota and California.
Not
reporting cases, but also receiving Jensen Farms cantaloupes from July
29 through Sept. 10 were New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, North
Carolina, Ohio, Tennessee, Minnesota, Arkansas, South Dakota, Idaho,
Arizona and Utah.
To prevent listeria, consumers
are advised to “thoroughly cook raw food from animal sources” and “rinse
raw vegetables thoroughly under running tap water before eating,”
according to the CDC.
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ON THE WEB
For more tips and information, go to:
About Listeria Infection
Learn about the harmful germ Listeria , the illnesses it can cause, and ways to prevent infection.
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%uFFFD2011 The Philadelphia Inquirer
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