Cantaloupe Listeria Outbreak: What You Need To Know

Jensen Farms has recalled its Rocky Ford-brand cantaloupes in response to a multi-state outbreak of listeriosis. Cantaloupes from other farms have not been linked to this outbreak. The Centers for Diseases Control and Prevention reports that 35 people in 10 states have been infected with this strain of Listeria monocytogenes. The FDA advises consumers - especially vulnerable populations, including older adults, people with weakened immune systems, and pregnant women - not to eat the recalled cantaloupes and to throw them away. Don't  try to wash the bacteria off of the cantaloupes because contamination might be both on the inside and outside. Cutting, slicing, and dicing may also transfer harmful bacteria from the rind to the fruit's flesh. Source: FDA