Company expands cantaloupe recall to honeydews

By Maggie Fox, NBC News

A North Carolina company that has recalled tens of thousands of
cantaloupes because of potential food poisoning extended the recall to
honeydew melons on Tuesday, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration
said.

Burch Equipment LLC (Burch Farms) of Faison, N.C., is expanding its
recall to include all of this growing season's cantaloupes and
honeydew melons that may still be on the market. “The honeydew melons
involved in this recall expansion do not bear any identifying stickers
but were packed in shipping cases labeled melons,” the FDA said in a
statement.

“The cantaloupes and honeydew melons involved in this expanded recall
were sold to distributors in the states of Florida, Georgia, Illinois,
Kentucky, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, Michigan, North Carolina,
New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South
Carolina, Virginia, Vermont and West Virginia, who may have further
distributed them to other states,” the FDA said.

People who bought melons should ask the stores whether they got the
fruit from Burch Farms.

The FDA said it found the bacteria Listeria monocytogenes (L. mono) on
a honeydew melon grown and packed by Burch Farms.

Listeria can cause sometimes serious food poisoning, although no one
has been confirmed sick from this particular recall, FDA said.
Symptoms of listeriosis include fever and muscle aches, diarrhea and
other gastrointestinal problems. “The disease primarily affects older
adults, pregnant women, newborns, and adults with weakened immune
systems. However, rarely, persons without these risk factors can also
be affected,” FDA says.

It can take anywhere from three days to more than two months to get
sick after eating food contaminated with Listeria.

Earlier this month, Burch recalled 188,902 melons from stores. Food
safety officials are especially wary of cantaloupes after one of the
deadliest foodborne illness outbreaks in U.S. history last year, in
which contaminated Colorado cantaloupes sickened at least 147 people,
including at least 30 who died and one woman who had a miscarriage.

Janet Bostwick wrote:
>
> Company expands cantaloupe recall to honeydews
>
> By Maggie Fox, NBC News
>
> A North Carolina company that has recalled tens of thousands of
> cantaloupes because of potential food poisoning extended the recall to
> honeydew melons on Tuesday, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration
> said.

Ya know...you ppl have scared me away from cantelopes that I love. Last
Saturday, they had nice big ones for only $2 each. I thought about it, then
said, "better not." darnit all to heck!!! ;-o
Gary

On Tue, 14 Aug 2012 20:51:57 -0400, Gary > wrote:

>Janet Bostwick wrote:
>>
>> Company expands cantaloupe recall to honeydews
>>
>> By Maggie Fox, NBC News
>>
>> A North Carolina company that has recalled tens of thousands of
>> cantaloupes because of potential food poisoning extended the recall to
>> honeydew melons on Tuesday, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration
>> said.
>
>Ya know...you ppl have scared me away from cantelopes that I love. Last
>Saturday, they had nice big ones for only $2 each. I thought about it, then
>said, "better not." darnit all to heck!!! ;-o
>Gary

Mine come from the local farmer's market. I know where they were
grown.

"Janet Bostwick" > wrote in message
...
>
> Company expands cantaloupe recall to honeydews
>
> By Maggie Fox, NBC News
>
> A North Carolina company that has recalled tens of thousands of
> cantaloupes because of potential food poisoning extended the recall to
> honeydew melons on Tuesday, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration
> said.
>
> Burch Equipment LLC (Burch Farms) of Faison, N.C., is expanding its
> recall to include all of this growing season's cantaloupes and
> honeydew melons that may still be on the market. "The honeydew melons
> involved in this recall expansion do not bear any identifying stickers
> but were packed in shipping cases labeled melons," the FDA said in a
> statement.
>
> "The cantaloupes and honeydew melons involved in this expanded recall
> were sold to distributors in the states of Florida, Georgia, Illinois,
> Kentucky, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, Michigan, North Carolina,
> New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South
> Carolina, Virginia, Vermont and West Virginia, who may have further
> distributed them to other states," the FDA said.
>
> People who bought melons should ask the stores whether they got the
> fruit from Burch Farms.
>
> The FDA said it found the bacteria Listeria monocytogenes (L. mono) on
> a honeydew melon grown and packed by Burch Farms.
>
> Listeria can cause sometimes serious food poisoning, although no one
> has been confirmed sick from this particular recall, FDA said.
> Symptoms of listeriosis include fever and muscle aches, diarrhea and
> other gastrointestinal problems. "The disease primarily affects older
> adults, pregnant women, newborns, and adults with weakened immune
> systems. However, rarely, persons without these risk factors can also
> be affected," FDA says.
>
> It can take anywhere from three days to more than two months to get
> sick after eating food contaminated with Listeria.
>
> Earlier this month, Burch recalled 188,902 melons from stores. Food
> safety officials are especially wary of cantaloupes after one of the
> deadliest foodborne illness outbreaks in U.S. history last year, in
> which contaminated Colorado cantaloupes sickened at least 147 people,
> including at least 30 who died and one woman who had a miscarriage.

Loverly! Guess it's a good thing I gave up buying melons!

On 14/08/2012 10:01 PM, Ed Pawlowski wrote:

>
> Mine come from the local farmer's market. I know where they were
> grown.
>

I recently had some locally grown cantaloupe. Holy cow. What an amazing
difference between the fresh stuff and those that ate picked hard and
rubbery for long distance transport.

On 8/15/2012 11:13 AM, Dave Smith wrote:
> On 14/08/2012 10:01 PM, Ed Pawlowski wrote:
>
>>
>> Mine come from the local farmer's market. I know where they were
>> grown.
>>
>
> I recently had some locally grown cantaloupe. Holy cow. What an amazing
> difference between the fresh stuff and those that ate picked hard and
> rubbery for long distance transport.

I almost don't want to buy stuff outside of local season because there
is such a difference.

On Wed, 15 Aug 2012 12:42:14 -0400, George >
wrote:

>On 8/15/2012 11:13 AM, Dave Smith wrote:
>> On 14/08/2012 10:01 PM, Ed Pawlowski wrote:
>>
>>>
>>> Mine come from the local farmer's market. I know where they were
>>> grown.
>>>
>>
>> I recently had some locally grown cantaloupe. Holy cow. What an amazing
>> difference between the fresh stuff and those that ate picked hard and
>> rubbery for long distance transport.
>
>I almost don't want to buy stuff outside of local season because there
>is such a difference.

With a lot of produce there's no choice, most produce doesn't grow
locally and what does the season is short, much of what's available
all year is shipped from the other hemisphere... there are no
banana/pineapple farmers where I live, no citrus either. And "farmers
market" in no way means grown locally, farmers markets sell exactly
the same produce as your local stupidmarket. If you want local
produce shop the local "farm stands". Most of the farmer's market
venders have never grown any produce, their hands have never touched
dirt... a farmer's market is just a produce flea market, they are
resellers, and much of what they sell are culls and left overs from
the regional produce wholesalers. Buying cantaloupe from a local
farmer's market in no way means it's locally grown. If you want
locally grown find a farm stand at the side of the road in front of a
farm where you can actually see cantaloupe growing in the farmer's
fields. However regardless from where purchased produce needs to be
carefully washed immediately upon arriving home, before putting it in
your fridge.

On 15/08/2012 12:42 PM, George wrote:
> On 8/15/2012 11:13 AM, Dave Smith wrote:
>> On 14/08/2012 10:01 PM, Ed Pawlowski wrote:
>>
>>>
>>> Mine come from the local farmer's market. I know where they were
>>> grown.
>>>
>>
>> I recently had some locally grown cantaloupe. Holy cow. What an amazing
>> difference between the fresh stuff and those that ate picked hard and
>> rubbery for long distance transport.
>
> I almost don't want to buy stuff outside of local season because there
> is such a difference.



Almost??? I don't at all. Some of the local stuff is cheaper, but with
noted exceptions. Fresh berries tend to be at least double the price of
the imported stuff. They are at least twice as good.

On Wed, 15 Aug 2012 14:27:49 -0400, Brooklyn1 <Gravesend1> wrote:



>
>With a lot of produce there's no choice, most produce doesn't grow
>locally and what does the season is short, much of what's available
>all year is shipped from the other hemisphere... there are no
>banana/pineapple farmers where I live, no citrus either.

Frozen is often better than imported from thousands of miles away.
Citrus does ship well though.



>And "farmers
>market" in no way means grown locally, farmers markets sell exactly
>the same produce as your local stupidmarket. If you want local
>produce shop the local "farm stands". Most of the farmer's market
>venders have never grown any produce, their hands have never touched
>dirt... a farmer's market is just a produce flea market, they are
>resellers, and much of what they sell are culls and left overs from
>the regional produce wholesalers. Buying cantaloupe from a local
>farmer's market in no way means it's locally grown.

In this case it is. The farmer's market here is regulated and only
locally produced items can be sold. I know where the farms are
located and all are within about 30 miles of me.

http://ctnofa.org/FarmersMarkets.htm
http://www.ct.gov/doag/cwp/view.asp?a=3260&q=398996
(5) "Connecticut-grown" means produce and other farm products that
have a traceable point of origin within Connecticut;
(6) "Farm" has the meaning ascribed to it in subsection (q) of section
1-1;
(7) "Farm products" means any fresh fruits, vegetables, mushrooms,
nuts, shell eggs, honey or other bee products, maple
syrup or maple sugar, flowers, nursery stock and other horticultural
commodities, livestock food products, including meat, milk,
cheese and other dairy products, food products of "aquaculture", as
defined in subsection (q) of section 1-1, including fish,
oysters, clams, mussels and other molluscan shellfish taken from the
waters of the state or tidal wetlands, products from any
tree, vine or plant and their flowers, or any of the products listed
in this subdivision that have been processed by the
participating farmer, including, but not limited to, baked goods made
with farm products

I'm aware of the produce seller and street corner hucksters. They
cannot sell at the local market.



> If you want
>locally grown find a farm stand at the side of the road in front of a
>farm where you can actually see cantaloupe growing in the farmer's
>fields. However regardless from where purchased produce needs to be
>carefully washed immediately upon arriving home, before putting it in
>your fridge.
>

We do have a couple of those in the area too. They also sell at the
town Farmer's Market.

On Wed, 15 Aug 2012 14:27:49 -0400, Brooklyn1 <Gravesend1> wrote:



> If you want
>locally grown find a farm stand at the side of the road in front of a
>farm where you can actually see cantaloupe growing in the farmer's
>fields.



This is a better link to the local market
http://www.nectfarmersmarket.org/