Readers of eFoodAlert are reporting having been contacted by Costco with instructions to discard or return mangos that may be linked to more than 100 cases of Salmonella Braenderup infections in the USA and Canada.

Other similar reports are popping up on social media websites, including Facebook.

Several other retailers have already posted or released recall notices, including: Bi-Lo, Copps, Giant Food, Mariano’s, Martin’s Food Market, Metro Market, Pick ‘n Save, Rainbow, Stop & Shop and TOP Food & Drug. Other retailers will, no doubt, chime in during the next few days. Please monitor the “Salmonella Braenderup – Mango“ tab at the top of the eFoodAlert page for updates to this list.

The Public Health Agency of Canada has confirmed 22 cases of Salmonella Braenderup infections in British Columbia (17) and Alberta (5), and has linked the illnesses to Daniella brand mangoes imported from Mexico. Two Canadian importers of the mangos have recalled the implicated fruit. In addition, one supplier of cut fruit to the hotel/restaurant/institution market recalled GFS brand Sliced Mangos on August 24th.

The US outbreak investigation has been led by the California Department of Public Health, which has confirmed 73 cases in that state. According to an Outbreak Investigation Report released this morning by FDA, there have been 101 cases of Salmonella Braenderup outbreak strain across the USA.  While mangos have been identified as the likely source of this outbreak, FDA has not yet determined the source of the mangos that may be linked to US cases.

Neither FDA nor California have released a list of affected states; however, eFoodAlert has learned that infections caused by the outbreak strain of Salmonella Braenderup also have been confirmed in Oregon (1), Washington (6), Texas (2) and New York (3).

CDC has not yet released its own Outbreak Investigation Report, but work on the report is underway, according to agency spokesperson Lola Russell.

The Public Health Agency of Canada offers the following advice to consumers:

• Check to see if you have any of the recalled mangoes in your home. If you have mangoes, but aren’t certain if they are part of the recall, check with the store where they were purchased.
• If you have the product, do not eat it. Secure it in a plastic bag and throw it out. Then wash your hands thoroughly in warm soapy water.

Finally, a request to eFoodAlert readers:

If you have received a recall notice by email or telephone from any retailer not yet mentioned on the recall list, please post a comment below, so that the information can be shared with other readers. Please include the name of the retailer and the city and state where the store is located.

An outbreak of Salmonella Braenderup infections in the Canadian provinces of British Columbia and Alberta has prompted recalls of Daniella Mangoes in both Canada and the United States.

The Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) has confirmed 22 cases of mango-linked Salmonella Braenderup – 17 in British Columbia and 5 in Alberta. The PHAC is continuing its investigation and has promised a weekly update to its table of confirmed cases.

North American Produce Sales (Vancouver, BC), the importer of the implicated mangoes, recalled Daniella brand Mangoes (Product of Mexico, labeled with a sticker bearing PLU #4959) on August 24th in response to the outbreak. The recalled mangoes were sold at “…various retail stores between July 12 and August 14, 2012…” according to the recall notice, and are believed to have been distributed in British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Northwest Territories, Nunavut and Yukon. The names of Canadian retailers of the recalled mangoes have not been released.

The Stop & Shop and Giant Food LLC supermarket chains (including both Giant Food and Martin’s stores) announced this morning that Splendid Products – the US supplier of Daniella brand Mangoes – has initiated a voluntary recall of all Daniella mangoes (PLU #4959) sold between July 12 and August 24, 2012. Information on other possible retail distribution of the mangoes in the USA is not yet available.

eFoodAlert’s Advice to Consumers

• Check the mangoes that you purchased, and discard any that are labelled with the Daniella brand and a sticker bearing PLU #4959, regardless of where the mangoes were purchased.
• Always wash the outside of a mango carefully and thoroughly before slicing through the skin.
• If you or a family member consumed mangoes during the July 12th to August 24th – either alone or as part of a fruit salad – and who developed symptoms of Salmonella gastroenteritis within a week after having eaten the fruit should consult a health care professional.