This has got to be the year of the recall, for food products, at least: infant formula, eggs, now cantaloupes. What will be next, one may wonder? The latest is, as mentioned, cantaloupes, the round, juicy melons favored by many people. These melons--from Del Monte Fresh products, shipped from Arizona to Detroit, among other locales--have been found to be tainted with the salmonella bacterium, and therefore are being voluntarily recalled from stores.
Salmonella--as many people will know now, after so many potential encounters with this contaminant (and for some, the actual experience)--is a very serious condition that has the ability to kill, not merely sicken. Those who are at either end of the age spectrum, those with a weakened immune system, and some who are very prone to food poisoning, are at greatest risk. Symptoms include massive vomiting, diarrhea, nausea, cramps, and fever (with this last symptom often leading others to mistakenly diagnose the disease as "stomach flu" or other ailments of a viral nature). Such circumstances also cause dehydration, which exacerbates the overall weakness of the patient.
Should you suspect salmonella from cantaloupes or any other food, don't hesitate: seek emergency treatment at once. Mention at the hospital that you are possibly suffering from salmonella. Otherwise, for mild nausea, use ginger (including, if no other form is available, ginger ale) to quell an upset stomach. Any vomiting, however, should lead you to seek more help.
To identify the contaminated melons, check the cardboard box they came in (they were sold in bulk) for the following:
- Lot codes W-11-147-43-size 15
- Lot codes W-11-14-19 size 15
To contact the Del Monte company to find out more about this recall, call: 1-800-659-6500, or, go to this address:
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