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

Alumni Spotlight: Bret Marsh, DVM

Bret Marsh earned his bachelor's degree in animal sciences from Purdue University in 1981,...

Two researchers seated at a conference table smile at the camera while holding nuts and trail mix.

Purdue researchers identify infrastructure and communication challenges as barriers to food safety in the low-moisture food industry

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Low-moisture foods such as dried fruits, seeds, tree nuts and wheat...

A silhouette of a man’s face in front of a computer screen displaying a UV map with green, yellow and red lines.

Purdue’s Institute for Digital and Advanced Agricultural Systems to cultivate innovation at upcoming panel and networking event

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Purdue University’s Institute for Digital and Advanced...

The Gearing Up for Safety: Production Agricultural Safety Training for Youth team holding the Purdue Agriculture TEAM Award.

Training Future Farmers: Gearing Up for Safety initiative wins Purdue Agriculture 2024 TEAM Award

This year, the Purdue Agriculture TEAM Award, which has recognized the interdisciplinary team...

Close up photo of soybean plant leaf, stem, and flower bunch

Advancements in genomic research reveal alternative transcription initiation sites in thousands of soybean genes

In 2010, Jianxin Ma, a professor of agronomy, and his collaborators built the first reference...

2024 BPP Research Showcase

Held on November 13 at the Beck Agricultural Center, the 2024 Research Showcase highlights...