Careful About The Cantaloupes
The U.S FDA (Food & Drug Administration) issued warnings to the public about an outbreak of listeria infections which has sickened 84 people and caused the deaths of at least 15 people. The cantaloupes responsible for the illness have been identified to have come from Jensen Farms of Holly, Colorado. This has been the deadliest in the United States since 1998.
What is Listeria?
Listeria monocytogenes is a pathogen (a disease causing bacteria or virus) found in soil and water and often turns up in processed meats. The bacteria can thrive in low temperatures – such as the refrigerator. Eating food contaminated by the bacteria can cause serious infection. Listeria is common in unpasteurized cheeses and milk, but not as common in produce. However, in the past two years, there have been a number of produce-related listeria illnesses, such as sprouts in 2009, celery in 2010 and now cantaloupe.
The infection starts off with fever, muscle aches and gastrointestinal symptoms. In humans, infections typically tend to have a long incubation - a few weeks to two months. While nobody is sure how the cantaloupes may have been contaminated, one possibility is that listeria got on the outside of the cantaloupe either at the farm or at the packing facility and then contaminated the edible portions when it was cut. The fruit may have been kept in the refrigerator for some time where it may have grown further.
A global food platter
Have you observed the ingredients or thought about the source of different foods that make their way to your dinner plate each day? You may be surprised to learn that food travels great distances, and undergoes various processes on its journey from the farm to your table. The food chain is very complex with many steps. The more steps there are, the harder it can be to identify the source of an outbreak.
What is striking is that food is sensitive and easily affected by microbes all along its route from farm to fork. The cantaloupe grown on the Colorado field may have made four or five stops before it was eaten.
- packing house - where it was cleaned and packaged,
- distributor - contracts with retailers to sell the melons in large quantities,
- processor - cuts or bags the fruit,
- retail distribution center - where the melons are sent out to various stores,
- grocery store - where it is stacked for display.
The infected cantaloupes have traveled far and wide and producer Jensen Farms doesn't even know exactly where their fruit ended up!
What is being done about outbreaks?
Given the global nature of the food industry, it is nearly impossible to prevent outbreaks completely. At the first sign of trouble, authorities work to contain the infection and issue recall of suspected items. The FDA recently set up a network of veterinarians, microbiologists, environmental health specialists, emergency coordinators among others, to respond quickly to human and animal illness outbreaks.
At the home, we should consider buying local produce – such as at farmers markets. Besides supporting local farmers, we may be able to reduce the chain from farm to fork. Remember to always sanitize work areas, hands and food thoroughly before cooking or serving food.
What are some ways you would recommend to keep food safe? If you were the FDA what would you do to contain and manage outbreaks?
i like fruit and now i want some
I think people are making a bigger deal out of this than it really is. They did the same thing with pork.
I really like cantaloupe but now that I know they can poison people not so much anymore.
cantaloupe are my favorite fruit. but this wont stop me from eating it.
i hope i don't eat any poison canteloupes
Jack stop, your making my favorite summer food sound scary!!!
that is soo sad
Listeria is a very dangerous diease. It has already killed so many people
yes it is. after i read this i dont want to eat it and i have never liked it
Wow!! That was bad - farmers should say it could cause a disease !!
I hope it doesn´t happen again!!
it is as bad as the tomato scare.☻ I love cantaloupe so this realy bad!!!!!!!!!♥☻
I think Listeria is very dangerous. I mean, 15 people have died from it already. Please watch out for cantaloupes. I hope they can resolve this problem soon.
Now that I heard about the news... I'm scared of cantaloupe now. I hope our school never serves cantaloupe again. From now on, I'm just going to eat watermelon.
It's not the peoples fault it's the soil infection that caused this. Because, they might be using the wrong soil. Also the FDA is doing their best to solve this problem like the tomatoe scare.
I think that this is very interesting,but I think that farmers should protect them more.I also think that they should use something to keep the harmful viruse's out of the fruit.I love canolope ,but this tells me that I have to be careful when I eat it.
I feel bad for the people who all ate cantaloups. 84 people are sick now and 15 died. I don't really like cantaloupe. I ate cantaloupe yesterday and nothing happened. I think they should shut down the Jensen Farm and investigate. It should be shut down!
This situation really depresses me,because I love fresh cantaloupe. The outbreak of listeria should be resolved, quick.That farm should shutdown for a while and discover what going on.
I don't really like cantaloupes, but I think they should shut down the Jensen farm. We talked about this in science and Ms. Schwien told us about it. Listeria is a nasty disease and everyone should stop eating cantaloupe.
I would dislike working at Jensen Farms.Because you would have to do packaging.The cantaloupe is not very tasty,and has listeria in it.
I belive cantaloupe is a scare for many people. It made 84 people sick. Listeria is a bad sickness. Jensen farm made the cantaloupe.
I believe that Listeria is harmful to us, and that we should stay away from cantaloupe until they know for sure if it is safe to eat. I enjoy cantaloupe and I want to have some cantaloupe, but my friends say I shouldn't have any.
I believe that Listeria is very harmful to us and people around us. I enjoy cantaloupe but, I would not enjoy getting a bacterial disease. I am staying away from cantaloupe especially the fruit from Jenson's farm.
I would dislike working at Jensen Farms packing house, processer, retail distribution cenetr, or Jensen Farms in general. I definitely would ask the grocery store cashier if it had listeria, or if the cantelope/muskmellon came from Jensen Farms. If they didn't know, I would put it back.
I am so glad that I don't like cantaloupe! I still fell really sorry that about 15 people died,and almost 84 people got illnesses from listeria. At my house, I'm making sure there isn't any cantaloupe.The people that package and ship the cantaloupe might have to find a new job for now.
I believe that Cantaloupes or any fruit from the Jensen farm have the disease. We should aways check where our fruits come from. If this disease keep going on I believe it will speard all over the whole world.
I believe that when the people who are going to send it off to other places, they should first check it to see if its ok. So if its not then they should just dump it in the garbage, instead of shipping it. Also who ever purchased the cantalope, should first carve a triangle on it so then they woud know if its good.
I believe that the infection from the cantaloupes infection is really horrible because, the infection sickened 84 people ,and killed 15 peole and there still might be peolpe being sickened or killed out there because of this infection.
I also believe that if people start having a fever,muscles aches,or gastrointestinal symptoms should go to the doctor's ofiice right away because it could be a serious thing. That is what I think about this story.
I believe that you should check the food before you ship it off to other people who are sick. My opinion is the Jensen Farm should be shut down. Fruit should be healthy, but not to kill you.
I believe that we should be careful about the fruit that came from the Jensen Farm. We should not have to worry about the food we digest. I believe that we should hold back on eating this deadly fruit.
I believe that listeria Is a very deadly disease, because up to fifteen people died because of It.I surely wouldn't like to work at the packing house, or at Jensen Farms because I would get the blame for giving the cantalope listeria.At our High school, we have cantalope every day on our salad bar , and very little middle school students ever eat the cantalope because they are afraid that they might get sick or die because of It.If I worked at a grocery store that sell's cantalope, I would get rid of all of the cantalope and would not get any back until the disease has been gone for at least two weeks.
I believe it's interesting that 15 people died and 84 people became sick from cantaloupes.I found out that listeria was in the soil and thats what made the cantaloupe make people sick and die.I also found out that it's been idenified from the Jensen's Farms.I never liked cantaloupe, but now I definitely won't eat it. Many people from our middle school won't eat it either.
I don't want to believe that cantaloupe is deadly, because I like it. Cantaloupe is one of my favorite fruits. My opinion is that they should make an antidote for the cantaloupe.
I don't wanna believe this ,but I have to. In my opinion cantaloupe is one of the best fruits that exist. I hope they can resolve this problem soon.
I don't wanna believe this ,but I have to. In my opinion cantaloupe is one of the best fruits that exist. I hope they can resolve this problem soon.
i could not believe that
im not eating canaloupe anymore
I love to eat cantaloupe, but im a little scared to try it. What should I do? I dont want to get sick and die. I think they should shut down the cantaloupe farm and investicate the place.
now we really should be careful about what we are eating. I proved it by eating a raw oyster when I was 4 years old.
I heard from another news article,that a pregnant women was eating cantaloupe,and her baby died. I wouldn't eat it,ever! It is almost like the tomato scare two years ago.
I am very concerned about the listeria outbraek in cantalopes.This is a very serious disease .Fifteen people have passed away from Listeria already and more deaths are to come .I have learned that one microscopic bacteria can change the world.
Food can be very dangerous. It goes through alot of places ,and it goes through very big towns. When it goes through the big cities pollution surrounds the food. I heard that from a different news source.
I used to love cantaloupe ,but not anymore.I think they should shut down the Jensen Farms until it's all clear to start growing more.If the cantaloupe they're growing is killing people they should be in trouble.If they're shipping it with meat that has listeria the meat company should get in trouble to.
Cantaloupe makes you hungry, but it is also dangerous to eat. We have to be careful what we eat.This article taught me that 84 people have got sick from eating cantaloupe.
Cantaloupe is not so bad like it said ask the person at the grocery store. Also i hate cantaloupe its nasty.
listeria infections which has sickened 84 people and caused the deaths of at least 15 people.they shoud stop selling the fruit for a long time so no more people get sick and die.So they should destroy all of the fruit then replant them some where more safe.
The authorites should shut down the Jensen Farms. The Jensen Farms should stop giving stores the cantolope before any more people die from this. I never liked cantoloupe so i hope I don't get it.
2 bad :/
i hope i don't eat any poisoned ones.
Noooo
that is now disgusting me :(