New Jersey company recalls cut fruit products after 33 sickened with salmonella

A New Jersey produce company is recalling some of its cut fruit products in Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey and Delaware for possible salmonella contamination after more than 30 people got sick.

New Jersey-based wholesaler Tailor Cut Produce recalled its Fruit Luau mix and other pre-cut fruit after 33 people in southeastern Pennsylvania became sick with salmonella.

The recall is for the fruit mix and pre-cut honeydew, cantaloupe and pineapple products dated between November 15 and December 1, 2019.

Tailor Cut Produce sells its products wholesale, and they are distributed to institutions such as hospitals, restaurants and schools, according to the Food and Drug Administration.

So far, all cases have been at four health care facilities, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Health. Officials are not releasing the name of the facilities.

Tailor Cut Produce has had no other “incidents or recalls” in its 20 years of business, a company statement said.

The recall comes after a salmonella outbreak linked to pre-cut melon and fruit medleys from an Illinois company affected 117 people last April. Another multi-state salmonella outbreak involving pre-cut melon sickened at least 60 people in 2018.

The FDA has reported at least six salmonella outbreaks over the past year, stretching from Florida to Alaska, which affected 275 people.

Salmonella usually lasts a week, but can be more severe in children, the elderly, and people with already-compromised immune systems.

“We are particularly worried about foodborne illness when it comes to people who are part of vulnerable populations,” FDA spokesperson Peter Cassell said. “This is something where we wanted to act very quickly.”

Symptoms can include fever, aches and bloody stool.

According to the Centers for Disease Control, there have been 811 confirmed or suspected cases of salmonella across the United States since 1998.