While federal and public health officials try to pinpoint the exact cause of the outbreak, Burlingham, California-based Splendid Products is recalling certain lots of Daniella brand mangoes "out of an abundance of caution." The mangoes, which were sold at retail locations across the country between July 12 and August 29, may bear stickers with PLU numbers 3114, 4051, 4311, 4584 or 4959.
The recall comes a few days after the Canadian Food Inspection Agency announced a recall of the same brand of mangoes after linking the product to several Salmonella infections in Western Canada. According to the CDC, the same strain of Salmonella Braenderup is causing the infections in the United States, but U.S. officials say they have not nailed down a source of the outbreak.
"Public health officials have not identified a specific type or source for the mangoes that are likely causing this outbreak, and therefore we do not have specific consumer advice at this time regarding eating mangoes," said CDC in an update Wednesday. http://www.cdc.gov/salmonella/braenderup-08-12/index.html
In the United States, several retailers have initiated their own recalls and alerts regarding the mangoes, including: BI-LO, LLC, Copps, Costco, Giant Food, Mariano's, Martin's Food Market, Metro Market, Pick 'n Save, Rainbow, Stop & Shop and TOP Food & Drug. On Wednesday, Splendid Products posted a recall notice to their site with product photos and label images. http://www.splendidmangos.com/
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has so far only posted one recall notice regarding contaminated mangoes, from Giant Foods, but Splendid Products spokesman Ernest DelBuono told Food Safety News that (in addition to some of those previously listed), the company distributed the now-recalled fruit to: Savemart, Food 4 Less, Ralph's, Topco, El Super, Kroger, Aldi, and Whole Foods.
DelBuono said Splendid Products notified their customers of the recall on Tuesday and added that the company is coordinating with FDA. He said the product being recalled came from a single, large-scale grower, Agricola Daniella, which is located near Ahome in the Sinaloa region of Mexico. DelBuono said the grower is considered one of the best in the industry and is known for its commitment to food safety.
According to CDC's outbreak announcement, of the 103 known Salmonella infections tied to the outbreak, 25 patients have been hospitalized. The CDC declined to say which 16 states are involved in the outbreak, but between Food Safety News and eFoodAlert's reporting it appears that the following states have reported illnesses: California (78), Oregon (1), Washington (6), Texas (2) and New York (3), which leaves 13 cases unaccounted for.
The breakdown of the outbreak so far shows that 78 of the 103 cases are in California, so the California Department of Public Health is leading the investigation. Of the reported illnesses, the patients range from 1 to 86 years old with a median age of 32 years old, and around 80 percent patients reported at the state level are Hispanic, according to CDC.
"Many of the ill persons in California report purchasing mangoes from Hispanic markets or grocery stores," read the update. "Investigations are ongoing to determine the specific type and source of mangoes that might be linked with illness."
Eating food contaminated with Salmonella can cause salmonellosis, a common foodborne illness that can sometimes be life threatening, particularly to those with compromised or weak immune systems like small children, the elderly, or those undergoing chemotherapy.
Symptoms -- which include diarrhea, abdominal cramps, fever, chills, and vomiting -- can come on between 8 and 72 hours of consuming contaminated food. Anyone exhibiting symptoms and concerned they may have a foodborne illness should contact their healthcare provider.
