Honduras Cantaloupe
FDA recently placed an Import Alert on cantaloupe coming into the United States from Agropecuaria Montelibano, a major Honduran grower and packer. This action was taken after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) determined fruit from the company was associated with outbreaks of Salmonella Litchfield in 16 states.
Watching these things unfold is fascinating. Each situation is like a mystery being solved by investigators at FDA and CDC. The investigators are often referred to as disease detectives because their techniques are a blend of scientific skill and detective shoe leather.
The investigators piece together extensive interviews with affected people until they can find a common thread tying them together. When there are cases across 16 states that can be difficult. Once they find what is causing it, they have to track the product back through an intricate system of distributors, import brokers and suppliers. When the product comes from outside the United States, it is even more complicated.
An Import Alert has cascading consequences. Not only does it affect consumers, but it immediately changes the livelihood of thousands of farm workers, processors and shippers and in many cases the viability of companies and the way an entire nation’s products are perceived. As a result we have to take these things very seriously.
The cantaloupe problem is complicated further by the fact that Honduras is in the middle of their season. There is fruit in process and still on the vine.
I spoke twice with Honduran President Manuel Zelaya Rosales who asked that I meet with his Agriculture, Health and Commerce Ministers the next day in Washington. Of course, I agreed. The envoys flew all night; their plane touched down at 5:30 a.m. for an 8:30 a.m. meeting with me and FDA Commissioner Andy Von Eschenbach.
The three Ministers were most cooperative and understanding of the situation. They pledged their full cooperation, asking only that we move with all speed to find the solutions. Knowing what is at stake both in terms of human health, economics and our friendship with Honduras, I committed we would have a team on the ground by the next day.
The next morning a team of people from FDA and CDC left for Honduras. As I write this over the weekend they are in the fields where we suspect the contaminated fruit originated. We agreed at the meetings with the Ministers that our team would work side by side with their regulators to get at the bottom of this as quickly as possible. We have put FDA labs on notice that we want to make this a priority. Hopefully, we can get to the bottom of this quickly and help the producing company remedy any problem.