Salmonella outbreak is linked to melons from Latin America

Melons have been related to a Salmonella Braenderup outbreak which started in late March. It has affected 200 people aged from 0 to 97 in Denmark, Finland, Belgium, Germany, France, Ireland, Sweden, Norway, the Netherlands, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and Canada.

Spain and Czech Republic have also recorded Salmonella Braenderup infections but it is not certain yet if they refer to this outbreak.

The Food Standards Agency of the UK (FSA) informed that the source is considered to be cantaloupe, whole honeydew and galia melons from Brazil, Costa Rica, and Honduras. The country of origin can be identified from a sticker on the fruit.

Tina Potter, head of incidents for the FSA, recommends not to eat these melons and to wash hands and any surfaces that have been in contact with the fruit, in order to avoid the risk of cross contamination and the risk of illness. 

In the United Kingdom there were registered 52 cases, one in Canada, 5 in Norway, 27 in Denmark, 36 in Sweden, 42 in Belgium, 13 in the Netherlands, 5 in Finland, one in France, 4 in Ireland, 49 in Germany, 2 in Spain, 4 in Czech Republic, and 15 in Switzerland.

source: foodsafetynews.com

photo: ppfam.com