Fruit

Many fruit products, including berries, melons, and pre-made fruit salads, have been linked to outbreaks of food poisoning. Listeria bacteria, which may develop on the rind and spread to the flesh, poses a serious threat to ground-grown fruits including cantaloupe (rockmelon), watermelon, and honeydew melon.

In the US, 34 outbreaks of food poisoning linked to melons were reported between 1973 and 2011. 3,602 illness cases were reported as a result, along with 322 hospitalizations and 46 deaths. 56% of the outbreaks were associated with cantaloupes, 38% with watermelons, and 6% with honeydew melons. Cantaloupe is a fruit that poses an especially significant danger due to its rough, netted skin, which protects Listeria and other bacteria. Raspberries, blackberries, strawberries, and blueberries, among other fresh and frozen berries, are a frequent source of food poisoning because they contain dangerous bacteria and viruses, including the hepatitis A virus.