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Subscribe to RSSThe toll from listeria-tainted cantaloupe climbed higher again on Wednesday, with 139 sickened and 29 dead in the outbreak that may be the deadliest in U.S. history, health officials reported.
In addition to the reported deaths, one pregnant woman had a miscarriage after becoming infected with any of four strains of listeria bacteria linked to whole, fresh cantaloupes from Jensen Farms of Holly, Colo. Reports of illness have been logged in 28 states.
The outbreak is the worst since a California listeria outbreak in 1985 in which contaminated Mexican-style fresh cheese caused 52 deaths, including many stillbirths, according to figures from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
By other accounts, the cantaloupe crisis may already have matched the adult deaths confirmed in that outbreak. In a New England Journal of Medicine analysis in 1988, investigators said the outbreak caused deaths of 28 adults and newborns and 20 stillbirths or miscarriages.
CDC officials weren't immediately available to comment on the trajectory of the outbreak, which was expected to continue to claim lives and cause illness through the fall. Listeria infections have a long incubation period, so people who ate tainted cantaloupe two months ago may only now be reporting illness, health officials said. The outbreak toll may be slowing, noted Bill Marler, a Seattle food poisoning lawyer who represents several clients sickened by the fruit. But it's still not over.
"I think the hopeful sign is that it's tapering off," he said. "But people are still in the hospital, some in critical condition. Will that number go up? Unfortunately, I think it will."
Dirty equipment, an unsanitary environment and poor storage practicescaused the outbreak at the packing site operated by Jensen Farms, the federal Food and Drug Administration found. It's not clear whether Jensen Farms officials will be required to testify in front of Congress. Members of the Energy and Commerce subcomittee had requested a hearing no later than Thursday, but no hearing has yet been scheduled.
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Nasty. I will stop eating Cantelope for the short term. And some people argue against the "wasteful" governemt agencies we pay for in this Country now, like the FDA. Now, hopefully, they will see the justification for these organizations. Or else, we go back to having medicine men pushing home-made products on every street corner in America!!!
This is under the FDA's watch! I now the FDA and USDA make you feel all safe and cuddly at night, but you need to realize that even with them around, these things still happen. So YES, they are a complete waste of money and resources.
So Stinkleton, if you see them as a waste would you abolish the FDA/USDA. If so, what would you replace them with? As bad as this problem is it could be much worse.
This seems like a situation that calls for an increase in FDA/USDA funding for more inspectors at all levels from the farm to the supermarket, not a reduction.
I bet now every case of Listeria sickness will be blamed on the same cantaloupes... easy and convenient explanation. The truth is always far more complicated, as Listeria is a very, very common pathogen in soil fertilized with manure. People, just WASH your fruit and vegetables very thoroughly before use!
Well the USDA has much more involvement then the FDA does. Plants that operate under FDA supervision will not see an inspector for sometimes over a year! Typically, plants that operate under USDA supervision will see an inspector every single day. They BOTH have food safety problems. Stop acting like just having a Government Inspector will do the job.....it won't. They are just people and most of them are lazy slobs.
You may have had a convincing argument until your last sentence. That reveals your closed and uninformed mind. You have no knowledge or experience that allows you to label an entire group. You are nothing more than a loud mouth complainer who knows little. In fact, you are the lazy slob. Try doing an inspector's job for a few days...
NB820 - You are right about my last sentence and I take back what I said, honestly.
I am not a lazy slob, just someone who gets fired up about this subject, but that doesn't excuse what I said.
And I have done an "inspectors job" for more then a few days....so I'm not ignorant on the subject.
My last sentence though, was out of line.
The greedy,rich Wall Street republicans have gutted the FDA and government's ability to have any control over this kind of thing, Hey republicans,here, have a slice of melon while you cry about Cain, Perry,Romney,and the end of your party...
FOOL! TheGOVT. wastes enough to plant US all a garden plus hea;thcare but there is so much theft and waste that I would rather take care of myself as I have done; move too CHICAGO and live with that bankrupt crowd like is in DC NOW!
If they have gutted it to the point of the FDA not being able to control this thing, then why are food borne illness' at an all time low?
You obviously have an political ax to grind. Greed, rich Wall Street........Republicans? Who is contributing so much cash to President Obama? Stop being a partisan hack....they are ALL in bed together!
Like Max says . . . Folks do a bit of research on listeria and you'll learn it's everywhere. Same as e-coli; that is inside your own body. These bacteria only become a problem when they get into your mouth and into your stomach.
The news media must be making a lot of money tossing around these panic-starting stories when the plain facts are omitted since they're a big YAWN. Wash your produce, for instance. Wow would that make a great headline?
Easy way to avoid problems is simply to throughly cook meat products to avoid e-coli. To avoid listeria simply wash ALL produce in warm soapy water. (Okay - I haven't figured out how to do this with salad greens . . . ) But virtually all other types of fresh produce can be successfully washed this way. For some items I use a tsp of baking soda to act as an organic scrub. This works great for cukes, apples, pears etc. For vegetables I'm cooking anyway I wash them in HOT water. Why not? since they're going into a pan of boiling steamy water anyway.
Another thing to consider is that most of us, in decent health, can confront these bacteria and defeat them. Many of us have had these episodes and felt nothing. The body knows how to fight off these bacteria most of the time. It's kids and elderly and frail people who can get knocked down by listeria.
I am sorry for the folks who have become ill certainly but honestly, since this non-story broke in the media think how many people have died in auto accidents? Doesn't even make the news. Or consider the number of people who have died under medical care from accidents by the medical professionals?? That doesn't seem newsworthy either . . .
Some people in this country, they try cut or get rid of FDA, FAA, EPA, FEMA etc. They want little or no regulation at all, because it's hurt job creators.
Although it relays the same kinda point, the melons Americans keep calling cantaloupes are actually muskmelons. I know the hotty-totty urban elite would rather be served cantaloupe for breakfast rather than some plebian muskmelon, but that's the reality.
Muskmelons have netted skin and are notably fragrant-skinned when ripe. Cantaloupes do not have netted skin, but instead have smooth skin, but do have sweet orange-colored flesh. Real cantaloupes are NOT grown commercially in North America. They are more marketplace fruits commonly sold in Europe, southern Asia and Africa. Real cantaloupe seeds are not sold in American mail-order seed catalogs either. It'd be a very rare, esoteric home gardener who would somehow obtain true cantaloupe seeds, grow the plants and offer you those melons at harvest time.
I have a neighbor with large, cream colored, smooth skinned melons. They're suitable for any meal.
what kind of idiot is still eating cantaloupe after all the news coverage about people getting sick and or dying from it? easy fix...dont eat it!
Well, someone said it for me. I guess my work is done here.
Did you miss the point about the long incubation period of listeria? Are you also aware that the single source of this outbreak was identified months ago? That would mean that melons from other packers are safe, especially if proper precautions are taken.
Don't vote GOP or you'll worry every time you bite into anything once they abolish the FDA!
Yeah... who needs all this over-regulation that does nothing but raise costs for corporations, anyway? Can't have any of THAT!!! What use is the regulatory FDA, anyway??? Abolish it!! Too costly and restrictive to BUSINESS!! If a few people end up dying of food poisoning, well... that's just a cost of doing business! Bad luck for them! AND their families!
Unfortunately, the FDA generally seems to agree with Mike. If it was doing its job of effectively regulating foods, we wouldn't be seeing hundreds of food-related deaths every year. Who cares about people and their families when an extra buck is to be made. Remember Mike, it's merely "a cost of doing business" until it happens to you or a family member.
Yeah vote liberal. They will take your money and give it to a bunch of trash that has not, will not and never will work. If you think that the FDA is protecting you then I have some swamp land in Florida for sale.
Hello?!?!? Probably ought to quit buying and eating cantaloupe, folks!
The cantaloupes on the shelves today are not the ones making people sick today. The cantaloupes on the shelves 2+ months ago are the ones making people sick today. Listeria has a nasty habit of sitting in your system for a couple months before you actually become ill (per the article).
WILL YOU PEOPLE STOP EATING CANTALOUPE....This has been going on for 3 weeks now....How is the death toll rising why is this still being eaten and sold, its not even that good....I guess its the Natural Order Of Elimination....QUIT EATING IT, THROW IT AWAY...DUHHH
Actually, this has been going on for at least three months. There is a long incubation period before a victim gets sick. Someone could have eaten cantaloupe in September and suddenly get ill now.
You are all idiots - the FDA is a bribe-taking agency that is worse than all of corporate America. They are paid off big-time by large organizations to turn the other check, all the while shutting down smaller companies for absolutely ridiculous reasons. If you try to form a government run agency to protect the public, it will very quickly turn corrupt. Don't trust anybody in your government - they are all against you and all for putting dollars into their own pockets. Do your own research...
Why is this NEWS....LOL....just wanted to beat the idiots to it...feeling a little childish today
American made tainted food and tainted meat.
Sounds like we're living in a third world agricultural economy with a third world producers' interest in consumer quality and safety.
A truly free and unfettered market - and we complain about a little lead paint on imported toys!
What the hell happened to H1N1, Swine flu, and the likes! Does every fatal disease/ causal agent have only 15 minutes of fame, for crying out loud!
With the world population now over 7-billion, it's only a matter of time until nature designs a way to minimize the numbers.
insane.... i had stopped eating cantaloupe when this first came out and will remain doing so until i forget about this outbreak which may be a while (i'm pregnant). Every time i see a cantaloupe at the store, i just envision it covered with listeria....
i make sure i wash everything really really well, and don't eat anything that may be questionable. I even got the 'veggie' wash that soaps everything....
You don't want to know what's in your breakfast cereal, dear.
Planting a garden of your own with heirloom seeds and buying whole grains at reliable mills is the only real way to have control over what you are eating. That is not to say that occasionally you could/would not buy something that is more processed or from an unfamiliar seller, but common sense and self-sufficient ideas will lead you to a more safe path. I have been working on doing that. It does take more effort, more money up front (you save tons in the long run), and time, but it is more that worth the health benefits and peace of mind.
Guess I'll go out back 'n burn down the 10-row John Deere combine.
Candy's going to take us back a few hundred years.
Can you read? The article clearly states that listeria has a long incubation period, and most of the sick people they're seeing now are sick from the original outbreak. Nice blaming the victims...
The incubation period for listeria is pretty broad of 3-70 days. So to blame the victim is not a very fair accusation.
Please list the states affected, msnbc.
The article states the people are just now getting sick because it has a long incubation period. They could have eaten the fruit back when it was still on the market.
The FDA is actually under-funded for the multitude of regulatory tasks it is tasked to perform. That is partly why much of the imported produce does not get monitored for pesticide residues. It is not in the interest of business to perform these regulatory, protective tasks because it takes away from their bottom line to do so.
The operators of the farm should be charged with mass murder. Execute them on live national TV. Maybe that would do some good as an example to other farmers. Meanwhile, a word to consumers, COOK YOUR FOOD. Heating your food to a temperature of at least 165 degrees for 10 minutes will kill all harmful bacteria. If it isn't freshly cooked, don't eat it. My family follows this rule. Fried, baked, or stewed, nothing raw, and never a food borne illness.
Charged with mass murder? Because of a naturally occurring bacteria? They don't even know if it came from the farm, the plant, or elsewhere.
I bet now every case of Listeria sickness will be blamed on the same cantaloupes... easy and convenient explanation. The truth is always far more complicated, as Listeria is a very, very common pathogen in soil fertilized with manure. People, just WASH your fruit and vegetables very thoroughly before use!
Nope, but if it makes you feel better lying to yourself I won't stop you.
Let's cut back on regulations. I am sure companies will police themselves.... (yeah right)
Lets add more regulations. I'm sure the regulators will finally start doing their job if we spend more money.
Folks, I live in Rocky Ford, and there has not been one case of listeria in our area. Our family farmers are great farmers, and their processes concerning cantaloupes are excellent. We all eat them during the season every day. There are very important changes coming for all the farmers regardless, and I would encourage you to watch the process unfold with open eyes rather than anger and ignorance. Those who are affected on our end even though we did not cause or have the problems are damaged too.
The USDA is like the guys checking the Gas Pumps for accuracy. There really aren't any. That's to say their are so few it's a joke. And these departments get $$$ Billions. It's all used up before the guy at the job site gets paid. So they have to stay home or are suspended or let go, while the few the proud are left chasing their tail and their bosses live the glory trail with pay raises and great retirement packages.
How many dead and sick? And the solution to our economic woes is less regulation? De-fund the USDA, FDA, EPA, and think corporations will do the right thing? You're being duped America.
Diseases like this don't come from the farm, they come from dirty handling machinery, caused by dirt not being properly soaped and washed.
Like Max said, it is IN THE SOIL so wash ALL your fruit AND meat since there are butchers and assorted personal touching it BEFORE you handle it or cut it BUT now some LAWYERS are going to be making a bundle blaming the farm for it instead of people taking responsibility for something that is found naturally in nature. Just like we EXPECT people to WASH their hands after going to the bathroom expecially those people that work in restaurants and handle OUR food. Lawyers, the bane of the world.
I volunteer to check all adult female melons!