It was just 18 days ago that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) warned producers about the salmonella outbreak involving imported papayas. FDA said the industry needs to improve practices and do a better job of protecting consumers.
That outbreak is now over, according to the FDA. It caused 81 illnesses in nine states and required hospitalization for 27. The outbreak was not responsible for any deaths.
FDA said there had not been Salmonella blamed on contaminated papayas since July 16, 2019. The states that did experience cases include: Connecticut (15); Deleware (1); Florida (2); Massachusetts (6); New Jersey (22); New York (29); Pennsylvania (4); Rhode Island (1) and Texas (1)
Both the FDA and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), along with state and local authorities, investigated the multistate outbreak of Salmonella Uganda illnesses linked to Cavi Brand whole, fresh papayas.
According to the CDC, this outbreak appears to be over; however, the FDA’s investigational activities associated with this outbreak are ongoing.
The epidemiological and traceback information confirms that papayas distributed exclusively by Agroson’s LLC of the Bronx, New York made people sick.
The FDA on Aug. 26, 2019, issued a statement calling on the papaya industry to improve practices and better protect consumers. Additionally, the FDA issued a Warning Letter to Agroson’s LLC, the distributor of Cavi brand papayas implicated in this outbreak.
FDA said consumers and distributors no longer need to avoid or withhold Cavi brand whole, fresh papayas imported from Mexico.
The papayas linked to the illnesses in this outbreak are no longer on the market.
The FDA asked Agroson’s LLC, the exclusive distributor of this brand, to conduct a voluntary recall of Cavi brand papayas. Agroson’s LLC refused to initiate a recall.
FDA did check with wholesale customers of Agroson’s LLC to ensure the fruit was no longer available for sale, had been discarded, or was not further processed or frozen.
FDA did this to protect consumers as it pursued additional protective and regulatory actions.
Source: Food Safety News