Health officials are saying that the Listeria outbreak that has killed 16 people and sickened 72 may continue to cause illness, according to recent news sources.
The bacteria, which has caused the deadliest food-borne illness outbreak in this country in over a decade, has an incubation period that can last up to four weeks, and sometimes longer. Someone that ate a contaminated piece may not get sick until a month after he or she consumed it.
The cantaloupes were distributed on September 10 and have a shelf life of around two weeks. Officials expect to see more cases through October.
The fruit affected is from Jensen Farms in Colorado and was shipped to 25 different states at least. If you are not sure where cantaloupe is from, it’s best not to eat it.
The recalled cantaloupes may be labeled “Colorado Grown,” `’Distributed by Frontera Produce,” `’Jensenfarms.com” or “Sweet Rocky Fords.”
Listeria monocytogenes is most dangerous to the elderly, young children, pregnant women, and those with weakened immune systems.
As a Los Angeles personal injury attorney, I advise everyone to throw out cantaloupe if you don’t know the origin. Listeria can grow at refrigerated temperatures as well. In my experience as a product liability lawyer, I’ve seen many food-borne illness outbreaks, though none as deadly as this one. If you believe you are experiencing symptoms of infection, I encourage you to visit a doctor as soon as possible.