A salmonella outbreak has killed one person and sickened 46 others in 12 states, and officials believed it’s because they ate tainted fresh papaya.
According to the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention, the salmonella outbreak was linked to Caribeña brand Maradol papayas from Mexico. They are distributed by Grande Produce in San Juan, Texas.
Of the 47 cases reported, 12 people were hospitalized, federal officials said. The lone death was reported in New York City.
No other brands were named, the CDC added.
But the agency recommends that “consumers not eat, restaurants not serve, and retailers not sell Maradol papayas until” more information is detailed.
“If you aren’t sure if the papaya you bought is a Maradol papaya, you can ask the place of purchase. Restaurants and retailers can ask their supplier,” the CDC added. “When in doubt, don’t eat, sell, or serve them and throw them out.”
“Wash and sanitize countertops as well as drawers or shelves in refrigerators where papayas were stored,” the CDC recommended.
An investigation is ongoing into the salmonella outbreak.
The agency added:
Illnesses started on dates ranging from May 17, 2017 to June 28, 2017. Ill people range in age from less than 1 year to 95, with a median age of 27. Among ill people, 67% are female. Among 31 people with available information, 18 (58%) are of Hispanic ethnicity. Among 33 people with available information, 12 (36%) report being hospitalized. One death was reported from New York City.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which is working with CDC and local health departments to investigate the outbreak, warns that the risk of contamination may not be limited to just the Caribeña brand.
“It appears the distribution pattern of Caribeña brand Maradol papayas does not explain all of the illnesses, meaning other firms likely have distributed contaminated Maradol papayas as well.”
