MARYLAND (DG) The CDC and FDA are reporting as of August 11th – 141 people have become infected with salmonella food poisoning linked to paypasa imported from Mexico. Food Safety advocate and attorney Bill Marker said this outbreak of salmonella killed one person from New York.
“The FDA and local and state health authorities have linked it back to one particular growing area and farm in Mexico,” said Marker.
The Maryland Department of Health first informed federal authorities that several ill people had purchased papayas at the same Baltimore location. On July 19, the state reported that some samples of yellow Maradol papayas tested positive for salmonella in its preliminary examination and warned consumers to avoid consuming the fruit.
“Any bacteria illness like this usually attacks the very old, the very young, and people who are immune compromised usually have the worst situation. This outbreak is growing, I would expect that over the coming week, we’ll see more cases counted, not necessarily that people are consuming the product still, although I did see a news report that some of these products are being sold at flee markets in various places, which is not a good idea, they should have been recalled,” said Marker.
Most people infected with salmonella develop diarrhea, fever and abdominal cramps within 12 to 72 hours of infection. The illness usually lasts between four and seven days, though most recover without treatment.