WARNING: Listeria outbreak - Cantalope.....

GouchisGirl

I wasn't really sure to post this, but for those who don't watch the news I wanted to make sure that everyone was aware of this. It claims to be traced back to Colorado, but I just bought one yesterday and we threw it out just to be safe.....

By Amina Khan, Los Angeles Times / For the Booster Shots blog

September 27, 2011, 6:24 p.m.
At least 13 people in eight states have died in a recent listeria outbreak linked to whole cantaloupes, health officials have announced.

Since July 31, a reported 72 people in 18 states have been infected in an oubreak involving four strains of Listeria monocytogenes, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Thus far, Colorado has the highest reported number of cases (15), and New Mexico has the biggest share of deaths (4).

Jensen Farms recalled its Rocky Ford-brand cantaloupes Sept. 14 after the melons grown at its fields in Granada, Colo., were linked to the multistate listeriosis outbreak, the CDC said.

Listeriosis, as reporter Eryn Brown explained earlier, is caused by eating food contaminated with the bacterium Listeria monocytogenes. Among its symptoms, the illness causes gastrointestinal problems and fever -- and in severe cases can lead to confusion and convulsion. It typically affects pregnant women, older adults and people with weakened immune systems.

To reduce risk of contracting the disease, the CDC recommends cooking raw meat to a "safe internal temperature," rinsing raw vegetables under tap water thoroughly before eating and washing hands, knives, countertops and cutting boards after handling uncooked foods.

For more information, visit the CDC's listeriosis page.

http://www.latimes.com/health/boostershots/la-heb-listeria-13-dead-deaths-outbreak-cdc-20110927,0,573316.story

Grokette

This is just another reason and indicator as to why we should be buying LOCAL. Forget these farmers that grow for the chain stores.

The USDA and FDA try to make it soo hard on local and sustainable farmers to grow and sell their goods and they try to run them out of business. Meanwhile the factory farming systems are growing animals and produce that are getting contaminated and making us sick.

I never hear of anyone getting mad cow disease, salmonella poisoning, listeria, etc from locally grown food supplies. Only things that are being transported back and forth around the country.

It disgusts me to no end.

Amyeeeeeee

thank god I grow my own

puggleperson

This is just another reason and indicator as to why we should be buying LOCAL. Forget these farmers that grow for the chain stores.

The USDA and FDA try to make it soo hard on local and sustainable farmers to grow and sell their goods and they try to run them out of business. Meanwhile the factory farming systems are growing animals and produce that are getting contaminated and making us sick.

I never hear of anyone getting mad cow disease, salmonella poisoning, listeria, etc from locally grown food supplies. Only things that are being transported back and forth around the country.

It disgusts me to no end.

Yep I agree!!

GouchisGirl

This is just another reason and indicator as to why we should be buying LOCAL. Forget these farmers that grow for the chain stores.

The USDA and FDA try to make it soo hard on local and sustainable farmers to grow and sell their goods and they try to run them out of business. Meanwhile the factory farming systems are growing animals and produce that are getting contaminated and making us sick.

I never hear of anyone getting mad cow disease, salmonella poisoning, listeria, etc from locally grown food supplies. Only things that are being transported back and forth around the country.

It disgusts me to no end.

So, true! I've been meaning to go to the Farmer's Market here in town....

GouchisGirl

Now lettuce has been recalled!

dls06

Now lettuce has been recalled!

what lettuce. I have not heard this one :explode:yet.

Grokette

Now lettuce has been recalled!

what lettuce. I have not heard this one :explode:yet.

California farm recalls lettuce over contamination concerns


By the CNN Wire Staff

updated 9:46 AM EST, Fri September 30, 2011


(CNN) -- A California lettuce grower has recalled 2,498 cartons of chopped or shredded romaine lettuce shipped to wholesale food service distributors in 19 states and Canada over concerns the produce may be contaminated with the same bacteria that caused 13 deaths in an outbreak traced to tainted cantaloupes.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration and True Leaf Farms initially reported the recall of 90 cartons of chopped and shredded romaine lettuce on Thursday, saying a random sample detected listeria monocytogenes in one bag pulled from a lot shopped on September 12 and September 13. Later Thursday, True Leaf issued a statement saying the FDA asked the company to expand the recall.

No illnesses have been reported, the FDA said.

The affected lettuce was available for direct purchase at Cash & Carry Smart Foodservice warehouses in Oregon, Washington and Idaho, It also shipped to food service distributors in Alaska, Alabama, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Illinois, Kentucky, Maryland, Minnesota, Missouri, Nevada, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Tennessee and Vermont. It also was sent to a distributor in Alberta and British Columbia.


Listeria victim's wife: It's 'pure hell'

The recalled lettuce carries a use by date of "9/29/11" and the bag and box code B256-46438-8. The FDA said anyone who has the lettuce should destroy it or contact the company to come pick it up.

Listeria can cause fever, muscle aches and gastrointestinal problems. It usually causes only mild illness for healthy people, but it can be extremely dangerous for older adults, people with weakened immune systems, newborns and pregnant women, in whom listeriosis can cause miscarriages and stillbirths, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The listeria bacteria recently was blamed in a multi-state outbreak associated with tainted cantaloupes. At last count, 13 people had died and 72 had been made ill in 18 states after consuming cantaloupes grown by a Colorado farm.

GouchisGirl

Now lettuce has been recalled!

what lettuce. I have not heard this one :explode:yet.

California farm recalls lettuce over contamination concerns


By the CNN Wire Staff

updated 9:46 AM EST, Fri September 30, 2011


(CNN) -- A California lettuce grower has recalled 2,498 cartons of chopped or shredded romaine lettuce shipped to wholesale food service distributors in 19 states and Canada over concerns the produce may be contaminated with the same bacteria that caused 13 deaths in an outbreak traced to tainted cantaloupes.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration and True Leaf Farms initially reported the recall of 90 cartons of chopped and shredded romaine lettuce on Thursday, saying a random sample detected listeria monocytogenes in one bag pulled from a lot shopped on September 12 and September 13. Later Thursday, True Leaf issued a statement saying the FDA asked the company to expand the recall.

No illnesses have been reported, the FDA said.

The affected lettuce was available for direct purchase at Cash & Carry Smart Foodservice warehouses in Oregon, Washington and Idaho, It also shipped to food service distributors in Alaska, Alabama, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Illinois, Kentucky, Maryland, Minnesota, Missouri, Nevada, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Tennessee and Vermont. It also was sent to a distributor in Alberta and British Columbia.


Listeria victim's wife: It's 'pure hell'

The recalled lettuce carries a use by date of "9/29/11" and the bag and box code B256-46438-8. The FDA said anyone who has the lettuce should destroy it or contact the company to come pick it up.

Listeria can cause fever, muscle aches and gastrointestinal problems. It usually causes only mild illness for healthy people, but it can be extremely dangerous for older adults, people with weakened immune systems, newborns and pregnant women, in whom listeriosis can cause miscarriages and stillbirths, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The listeria bacteria recently was blamed in a multi-state outbreak associated with tainted cantaloupes. At last count, 13 people had died and 72 had been made ill in 18 states after consuming cantaloupes grown by a Colorado farm.

Its for this very reason that we threw out ALL our produce (Including bagged salad because they have been know to be recalled for the same reason). Who knows what or where this will pop up next. Play it safe, better safe then sorry.

mytwobabies

I bought a cantalope at the store this past week and as my husband and i were unloading the groceries he said to me "well just throw this away right now, I am not eating any cantalope that was bought at the store." lol I totally agreed, the outbreak slipped my mind when I was shopping, good thing he was here to remind me!! So scary all the recalls. I have recently started going to the farmers market instead.

GouchisGirl

I bought a cantalope at the store this past week and as my husband and i were unloading the groceries he said to me "well just throw this away right now, I am not eating any cantalope that was bought at the store." lol I totally agreed, the outbreak slipped my mind when I was shopping, good thing he was here to remind me!! So scary all the recalls. I have recently started going to the farmers market instead.

I thought about going to ours, but my husband told me to wait since it has popped up in two different states with different produce (and being sent to other states) he said they haven't exactly found the source, other then water, so whos to say it won't be happening to our farmers next..... just a thought