The Food and Drug Administration announced last week that Sofia Produce, LLC, which operates under the name “Trufresh,” is recalling its Malichita brand cantaloupes due to possible salmonella contamination.
Sofia Produce began the recall on November 8. The recall was initiated after the Canadian Food Inspection Agency issued a recall of cantaloupes packaged with the Malichita label and similar PLU codes.
The current recall is for fresh cantaloupes packaged in cardboard containers labeled under the Malichita brand sold between October 16 and 23, per the FDA announcement.
A PLU sticker can be found on each cantaloupe. The recalled fruits have the number “4050” located on the bottom half of the sticker. The words “Product of Mexico/produit du Mexique” are also on the sticker.
The cantaloupes were distributed in Arizona, California, Maryland, New Jersey, Tennessee, Illinois, Michigan, Wisconsin, Texas, Florida, and Canada. However, the FDA warned that the cantaloupes may reached consumers outside the listed states through retail markets.
The FDA said that no reported illnesses have been linked to the cantaloupes yet.
Consumers in possession of the affected produce are advised to dispose of or return them to where they were purchased. Those concerned about becoming sick after consumption are advised to contact their medical provider.
Salmonella is a foodborne illness known to cause 1.35 million infections annually in the United States, according to the CDC.
The affliction is also known to result in 26,500 hospitalizations and 420 deaths per year in the nation. Symptoms can manifest between six hours and six days after infection and last four days to a week; however, most infections can be treated without special medication.
Recently, the CDC linked flour to a multistate salmonella outbreak between December 6, 2022, and February 13 of this year, as previously reported by The Dallas Express.
