Dole Recalls Honduran Cantaloupes because Salmonella Fear
Westlake Village, Calif. Dole Fresh Fruit Co. announced Friday it would voluntarily recall Honduran cantaloupes because of salmonella outbreak in the United States and Canada, health officials confirmed on Saturday.

The announcement comes just one week after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration warned that cantaloupes from Agropecuaria Montelibano appeared to be associated with Salmonella Litchfield outbreak in 16 states.

On March 27, two other companies, Chiquita Brands International Inc. and Simply Fresh Fruit Inc., issued recalls of their own, the Associated Press reported.

Fifty cases of salmonella poisoning have been reported in 16 states with 14 hospitalizations, the FDA says. There have been no fatalities. The affected states span the country: Arizona, California, Colorado, Georgia, Illinois, Missouri, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Tennessee, Utah, Washington, and Wisconsin.

Symptoms of salmonella include fever, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain. Most people recover from salmonella illness without special treatment, but cases of severe diarrhea require medical attention and there’s a risk of infection spreading from the intestines to the bloodstream, a condition that could turn fatal.

Dole released a statement Friday saying the recalled cantaloupes were distributed for sale throughout the U.S. and parts of Canada in cardboards cartoons with the brand “Dole” and “Product of Honduras” printed on each of the side panels.

Consumers who have questions about the Dole recall can visit the FDA Web site at http://www.fda.gov for more information or contact the Dole Consumer Center at 800-232-8888.