Nine cases of salmonella linked to melons reported in state

Nine cases of salmonella linked to tainted cantaloupe have been reported in Washington state, including two in King County. The nationwide outbreak appears to include another 41 cases in 15 other states and nine in Canada.

The two people sickened in King County were both women in their 70s, and one was hospitalized, King County health officials said. Both are now recovering.

The cantaloupe was grown and packed by Agropecuaria Montelibano, a Honduran company. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has issued an import alert, urging grocers, food-service operators and produce processors to remove these cantaloupes from their stock.

Consumers who have recently bought cantaloupes should check with the place of purchase to determine if the fruit came from Agropecuaria Montelibano, the FDA said, and should throw away any cantaloupes from that grower and packer.

All cantaloupes and other melons should be thoroughly scrubbed under running water before being cut, health officials said.

In most cases, salmonella infection results from transferring contamination from the rind to the inside of the fruit, said Donn Moyer, spokesman for the Washington State Department of Health.

The melons grow on the ground, where they are likely to be contaminated with fertilizers and other bacteria, he said.

"Our standard and consistent message is: When you are getting melons from anywhere, the outside should be scrubbed with a brush," Moyer said. "Rinse and scrub the outside with cold water before you cut into it, and make sure you don't cross-contaminate" by using knives that have been used to cut raw meat, for example.

Cantaloupes should always be refrigerated, and cut cantaloupe should not be left unrefrigerated for more than two hours, because it is an excellent medium for growing bacteria, health officials say.

Joe Graham, a food-safety specialist with the state, said cantaloupes have been linked to other food-borne illness outbreaks in the past. The rough cantaloupe rind, he said, provides easy lodging places for salmonella and other bacteria.

Symptoms of food-borne salmonella infection usually begin from one to three days after eating contaminated food. They include nausea, vomiting, fever, diarrhea and abdominal cramps. In people in poor health or with weakened immune systems, salmonella can invade the bloodstream, causing life-threatening infections.

Carol M. Ostrom: 206-464-2249 or costrom@seattletimes.com