McAllen, Texas company Montero Farms is recalling its fresh Orange Habanero Peppers. The company initiated the recall because the vegetables have the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella.
FDA Inspection Prompts Company to Halt Production of Orange Habanero Peppers
Montero farms initiated the voluntary recall of its fresh Orange Habanero Peppers on Friday, though the recall notice was not posted to the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) website until Saturday.
The recalled peppers are packed in eight pound cardboard boxes, which are marked with lot #41142-41143. The Orange Habaneros were shipped to Indianapolis, Indiana and McAllen, Texas between April 28th and the present. It is unknown whether there is the potential for further secondary distribution.
The recall was prompted by routine testing by the FDA, which revealed the potential for Salmonella contamination. As a result of the testing and subsequent recall, the company has suspended production of the product to allow the company and the FDA to continue investigation into the source of the contamination.
Salmonella: the ”Forgotten” Foodborne Bacteria
In light of all of the recent recalls attributed to potential Listeria contamination, we’ve forgotten the risk posed by other foodborne pathogens.
Salmonella is a different foodborne pathogen than Listeria, the bacteria that has been at the core of the massive recall that has received a large amount of media attention in recent days.While Salmonella, like Listeria, is more likely to affect young children, the elderly, or people with compromised immune systems, it also often causes illnesses in otherwise healthy people.
The symptoms of Salmonella also differ from those of Listeria. Healthy people who contract Salmonella infections often have diarrhea, which may or may not be bloody, fever, vomiting, nausea, and abdominal pain or cramping. In particularly severe cases – which are rare – the Salmonella bacteria can cross over into the bloodstream and cause serious infections and conditions, including but not limited to arthritis, endocarditis (inflammation of the inside lining of the heart and heart valves), and arterial infections. Salmonella infections do not include some of the more common symptoms of Listeria, such as stiff neck.
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