31 Salmonella-related illnesses have been confirmed in four Pennsylvania hospitals

By Daniella Genovese
December 9, 2019
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650x350 salmonella outbreak in pre cut fruit

A New Jersey produce company is recalling its fruit products after health officials indicated they may be the source of a salmonella outbreak in Pennsylvania.

On Saturday, Tailor Cut Produce issued a recall of its Fruit luau, cut honeydew, cut cantaloupe and cut pineapple products that were shipped to multiple states between Nov. 15 and Dec. 1 after several people fell ill, according to a U.S. Food and Drug Administration notice.

The recalled fruit products come in 2/1 gallon cases and were distributed to Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York and Delaware, the notice read. The date of production can be found stamped on the side of the cases.

Distributors who purchased the fruit between dates are urged to quarantine them and to call the company for further instructions.

Days prior to the recall, the FDA and the Pennsylvania Department of Health announced an investigation into the company's fresh fruit mix with cantaloupe, honeydew, pineapple, and grapes after evidence indicated it was a potential source of the outbreak.

To date, there have been 31 laboratory-confirmed cases of Salmonella across four health care facilities in Pennsylvania, according to the notice posted Friday.

The FDA, which activated a team to coordinate the outbreak investigation, noted that Salmonella Javiana has been identified among the cases at three of the four facilities.

"The potential for contamination was noted" after 31 Salmonella-related illnesses were confirmed in four Pennsylvania hospitals, the FDA said.

Tailor Cut Produce said its products may be found in restaurants, banquet facilities, hotels, schools and institutional food service establishments in New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania.

Since the recalled fruit was distributed to "vulnerable populations" such as nursing homes, schools and hospitals, facilitates should stop serving or selling the fruit medley, the FDA says.

Salmonella can serious and, sometimes fatal infections in those with weak immune systems such as young children, frail or elderly people. However, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention note that most people who get ill from Salmonella will have a fever, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain. Symptoms usually last between 4 and 7 days and most people can recover without specific treatments and should not take antibiotics, according to the CDC.

Production of the products has stopped until the FDA and the company can identify the source of the problem.