Salmonella outbreak does not involve Indiana-grown melons

The Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have announced an outbreak of Salmonella Carrau in pre-cut melon products distributed by Indianapolis-based Caito Foods.

While an Indiana company has been implicated in the outbreak, the melons used to create the pre-cut products were not from Indiana and were likely imported from outside of the United States. Indiana growers are currently preparing to plant Indiana’s 2019 cantaloupe and watermelon crops in Southwestern Indiana and other parts of the state. Growers are anticipating a safe, bountiful harvest.

Indiana melon growers take food safety seriously and implement many on-farm practices aimed at reducing the risk of a foodborne pathogen contaminating the crop, said Scott Monroe, a food safety educator with Purdue Extension.

“Indiana growers use a variety of practices that reduce the risk of contamination at the farm level. Among these are testing of irrigation water, use of sanitizers in wash water, and employee training programs,” Monroe said.

Most Indiana watermelon and cantaloupe are produced on farms where food safety practices are confirmed by third-party audits, said Amanda Deering, a clinical assistant professor in Purdue’s Department of Food Science.

“Growers are audited annually to ensure that they are implementing and maintaining aggressive food safety programs on their farms,” Deering said.

Deering also pointed out that in most cases, requirements of third-party audit schemes are more stringent than current FDA regulations.

“Our Indiana growers are doing everything they can to reduce the risk of on-farm contamination by a foodborne pathogen to the lowest level possible,” Monroe said.

Featured Stories

Sam and Kelly Williams are pictured on their farm in West Virginia’s South Branch Valley.

Community Champions

Sam and Kelly Williams, alumni of Purdue’s agricultural economics program, are hometown...

Dr. Abhinav Tyagi talks to forest managers and scientists in a forest in India.

Tyagi to Study Otters, Fish Genomics as Smith Fellow

Dr. Abhinav Tyagi, who is the first Smith Fellowship honoree from India, will be studying river...

Dr. Abhinav Tyagi speaks to scientists and forest service personnel in India.

Dr. Abhinav Tyagi Set to Study River Otters, Fish as Smith Fellow in FNR

Dr. Abhinav Tyagi's past work has focused on applying genomics to wildlife conservation and...

Drs. Mike Saunders and Zhao Ma pose with the Family Forests Comprehensive Education Program Award presented by National Woodland Owners Association (NWOA) and National Association of University Forest Resources Programs (NAUFRP).

FNR Extension Team Receives Family Forests Comprehensive Education Award

The Purdue FNR extension team was named as a recipient of the Family Forests Comprehensive...

yuliia khoma poses with ferns in the greenhouse

Second plant, second chance, second home: Ukrainian Scholar Yuliia Khoma

Khoma relocated to the U.S. with her son and husband through a scholar support program offered by...

From farm roots to future agronomist: Finding a home at Purdue Agriculture

Growing up on a farm in Greensburg, Indiana, Purdue sophomore Justin Bedel developed a love for...