Salmonella Outbreak: CDC Warns Americans to Avoid Malichita, Rudy Branded Cantaloupes

There have been 117 Salmonella infections, 61 hospitalizations, and two deaths, with over half of the sick people being aged 65 or above.

A digitally-colorized scanning electron microscopic image of a grouping of Gram-negative bacilli, or rod-shaped, Salmonella sp. bacteria. Janice Haney Carr/CDC

Any whole or pre-cut cantaloupes from Malichita or Rudy brands should not be eaten due to the potential risk of Salmonella infection, according to a recent alert by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

“CDC is concerned about this outbreak because the illnesses are severe and people in long-term care facilities and childcare centers have gotten sick,” the agency said in a Nov. 30 food safety alert. So far, 117 illnesses, 61 hospitalizations, and two deaths have been reported for this outbreak across 34 states. The CDC has issued recalls for whole cantaloupes and pre-cut fruit products made with the recalled cantaloupes.