Dale and Thomas Popcorn

Several flavors and sizes of bagged Popcorn, Indiana-brand popcorn have been recalled because the products may be contaminated with listeria.

Dale and Thomas Popcorn of Englewood, N.J., is recalling nearly 700,000 bags of its flavored snacks because they may have been contaminated with listeria during the production process.

The gourmet popcorn maker is voluntarily recalling 14 flavors of its "Popcorn, Indiana" products made between Aug. 8 and Sept. 25 after detecting listeria on some mechanical equipment, said company spokesman Travis Ferber.

“A handful” of illnesses possibly related to the product have been reported but not confirmed, Ferber said.

The recall includes several sizes of ready-to-eat gourmet popcorn in the following flavors: aged white cheddar, almond biscotti, American cheese, apple crisp, bacon ranch, black-and-white drizzle, caramel, caramel roasted peanuts, chocolate peanut butter, cinnamon sugar drizzle, dark fudge chocolate chip drizzle, kettlecorn, salt and pepper and wasabi reserve.

The products have "Best By" dates of Feb. 4, 2013 through March 12, 2013.

Because the recall is limited to specific sizes of bags with certain "Best By" dates, consumers should check the list of affected products, linked here, to see whether their snacks are included. Consumers can return recalled products to the place of purchase for a full refund or replacement.

The potentially dangerous bacterium, listeria monocytogenes, was not believed to come from the source products such as the popcorn or the flavorings, Ferber said. However, the contamination from the equipment appears to have spread to the food, he added.

Listeria can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in children, pregnant women, elderly people and those with compromised immune systems. Symptoms include high fever, severe headache, stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain and diarrhea.

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Forever Cheese Inc.

The maker of Frescolina ricotta salata cheese has been placed on import alert after the cheese was linked to an outbreak of listeria infections.

Update, Sept. 27: At least 18 people in 13 states have been sickened by listeria infections linked to ricotta salata cheese imported from Italy. All 18 victims have been hospitalized and one miscarriage has been reported. 

The Italian maker of ricotta salata cheese tied to listeria infections that have sickened 15 people in the U.S. -- including as many as three who died -- has been placed on import alert, health officials said Friday.

Products from Fattorie Chiarappa S.R.L of Conversano, Italy, will be denied admission into the U.S. unless the importer proves that that the cheese is not contaminated with the potentially deadly listeria monocytogenes bacterium, Food and Drug Administration officials said.

People in 12 states and Washington, D.C., have been infected with the outbreak strain of listeria tied to contaminated Marte brand Fresolina ricotta salata cheese. All 15 confirmed victims have been hospitalized.

Forever Cheese Inc. of Long Island, N.Y., recalled one lot of the cheese, or about 4,800 pounds, on Sept. 10.

However, the recall has expanded now to include all lots and all product codes of the Marte Brand Frescolina ricotta salata cheese. Forever Cheese also has stopped importing cheese from Fattorie Ciarappa S.R.L. and has recalled two other varieties of cheese, Marte brand roasted ricotta and hard ricotta salata.

The cheese may also have been referred to as Ricotta Frescolina Marte Tipo Toscanella or Ricotta Salata Soft Lot (T9425) as it was being distributed.

Ricotta salata is a salty white cheese made form pasteurized sheep’s milk. It is often served crumbled or grated as an ingredient in salads, pastas or other dishes. It is not the same as the ricotta cheese used for dishes such as lasagna and sold in plastic tubs at grocery stores.

Consumers who bought the potentially contaminated cheese are advised to not eat it and to discard any remaining cheese, health officials said.

The outbreak sickened three people in Maryland and one person each in the following states or districts: California, Colorado, Minnesota, Nebraska, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Washington state and the District of Columbia.

Illnesses were reported from March 28 and Aug. 30. Three deaths have been reported in connection with the outbreak. Listeriosis contributed to deaths in Nebraska and New York, but did not contribute to a death in Minnesota, officials with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said.

Listeria can cause life-threatening infections that primarily affect pregnant women, people with weakened immune systems and the elderly. Symptoms include fever, muscle aches and diarrhea. It can take up to two months after eating contaminated food for the symptoms to appear.

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Forever Cheese Inc.

Frescolina ricotta salata cheese has been tied to an outbreak of listeria that has hospitalized 14 people and killed 3.

At least three people are dead among 14 people sickened in 11 states by an outbreak of listeria food poisoning linked to contaminated ricotta salata cheese, health officials said late Tuesday. All of the victims have been hospitalized.

One lot of Frescolina brand ricotta salata cheese, imported by Forever Cheese Inc. of Long Island, N.Y., has been recalled in connection with the outbreak, according to a report posted by the federal Food and Drug Administration. The company pulled 800 wheels of ricotta salata, or roughly 4,800 pounds, on Monday.

Whole Foods Markets said late Wednesday that it is recalling Forever Cheese Inc. ricotta salata from stores in 21 states and Washington, D.C., because of the potential contamination.

Ricotta salata is a salty white cheese made from pasteurized sheep’s milk. It is often served crumbled or grated as an ingredient in salads, pastas and other dishes. It is not the same as ricotta cheese, a very soft cheese sold in plastic tubs and used for dishes such as lasagna.

The cheese was sold to distributors for retail stores and restaurants in 18 states and the District of Columbia between June 20 and Aug. 9. Because the cheese may remain in home refrigerators, consumers should check for the product and discard it.

The recall affects lot number T9425 and/or production code 441202.

“This is especially important for pregnant women, persons with weakened immune systems and older adults,” officials with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said in a notice. “When in doubt, throw it out.”

Illnesses connected to the outbreak were diagnosed from March 28 through Aug. 30, CDC officials said. Four of the illnesses were related to pregnancy; two were diagnosed in newborns. The other 10 people infected ranged in age from 56 to 87. Officials are still investigating the connection between the March illness and the cheese sold later to stores and restaurants. 

The deaths tied to the tainted cheese were reported in Minnesota, Nebraska and New York. Listeria was confirmed to have contributed to at least one of the deaths, the CDC said. It's not yet clear whether the other deaths were caused by listeria, or whether those patients infected with the outbreak strain of the bacteria also had other health problems primarily responsible for their demise.

The cheese was sold in California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Montana, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Virginia and Washington.

The cheese is made by Fattorie Chiarappa Srl of Conversano, Italy, and imported by Forever Cheese Inc. said Denise Clarke, a spokeswoman for the importer. The cheese is imported as whole wheels packaged in Cryovac and then is distributed in the original packaging to wholesale distributors and retail customers such as supermarkets and specialty retail food stores, Clarke added.

FDA officials identified the outbreak strain of listeria monocytogenes bacteria in a sample of uncut imported Frescolina brand ricotta salata cheese. Federal agencies are working with the firm and with health authorities to make sure the products are removed from market.

Listeriosis is a potentially life-threatening infection that is particularly dangerous to pregnant women, people with weakened immune systems and the elderly. Symptoms include fever and muscle aches as well as diarrhea and other gastrointestinal distress. Pregnant women may experience a mild, flu-like illness, but infection during pregnancy can lead to miscarriage, stillbirth, premature delivery or life-threatening infections in newborns.

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A North Carolina company that has recalled tens of thousands of cantaloupes because of potential food poisoning extended the recall to honeydew melons on Tuesday, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said.

Burch Equipment LLC (Burch Farms) of Faison, N.C., is expanding its recall to include all of this growing season's cantaloupes and honeydew melons that may still be on the market.  “The honeydew melons involved in this recall expansion do not bear any identifying stickers but were packed in shipping cases labeled melons,” the FDA said in a statement.

“The cantaloupes and honeydew melons involved in this expanded recall were sold to distributors in the states of Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, Michigan, North Carolina, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Virginia, Vermont and West Virginia, who may have further distributed them to other states,” the FDA said.

People who bought melons should ask the stores whether they got the fruit from Burch Farms.
 
The FDA said it found the bacteria Listeria monocytogenes (L. mono) on a honeydew melon grown and packed by Burch Farms.

Listeria can cause sometimes serious food poisoning, although no one has been confirmed sick from this particular recall, FDA said.  Symptoms of listeriosis include fever and muscle aches, diarrhea and other gastrointestinal problems. “The disease primarily affects older adults, pregnant women, newborns, and adults with weakened immune systems. However, rarely, persons without these risk factors can also be affected,” FDA says.

It can take anywhere from three days to more than two months to get sick after eating food contaminated with Listeria.

Earlier this month, Burch recalled 188,902 melons from stores. Food safety officials are especially wary of cantaloupes after one of the deadliest foodborne illness outbreaks in U.S. history last year, in which contaminated Colorado cantaloupes sickened at least 147 people, including at least 30 who died and one woman who had a miscarriage.

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Federal health inspectors have found unsanitary conditions at a North Carolina cantaloupe packing shed, leading to an expanded recall of melons that may be potentially contaminated with listeria. 

Burch Equipment LLC of Faison, N.C., is pulling 188,902 melons from store shelves in 10 states because of possible contamination that can cause illness and death, particularly in the very young, the very old, pregnant women and those with health problems.  

The company's voluntary recall comes nearly a year after one of the deadliest foodborne illness outbreaks in U.S. history, in which contaminated Colorado cantaloupes sickened at least 147 people, including at least 30 who died and one woman who had a miscarriage.

The new recall of 13,888 cases of whole Caribbean Gold cantaloupes follows an earlier recall of 580 cases of the summer fruit.

Burch officials originally identified the variety as Athena cantaloupes, but later revised that to indicate the recalled fruit are the Caribbean Gold variety.  

Federal Food and Drug Administration officials and the North Carolina Department of Agriculture are conducting an ongoing inspection at Burch Farms. The FDA warned this week that consumers should not eat the summer melons, which carry a red Burch Farms label and the code PLU #4319.

The melons were shipped between July 15 and July 27 and distributed to retail stores in Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Maryland, North Carolina, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, South Carolina and Virginia.

Consumers should discard the melons, the FDA said. 

No illnesses have been reported in connection with the Burch Farms melons, according to a spokeswoman for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Listeria monocytogenes infections can cause symptoms including high fever, severe headache, stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain and diarrhea. 

But the possibility of another bout of contaminated cantaloupe has stunned at least one family affected by last year's listeria outbreak caused by Jensen Farms of Holly, Colo.

“It’s so frustrating. It’s unbelievable,” said Michelle Wakley-Paciorek, mother of Kendall Paciorek, now 10 months, who suffered a life-threatening listeria infection at birth because of the tainted cantaloupe. “I can’t even tell you. It’s making my eyes tear up, after what everybody’s been through.”

Dirty equipment, faulty sanitation and bad storage practices at Jensen Farms led to the deadly infections, federal officials concluded. The firm has filed for bankruptcy.

That outbreak led to industry-wide changes in and attention to cantaloupe safety protocols, said Kathy Means, vice president of public affairs for the Produce Marketing Association. Members of the Rocky Ford Growers Association in Colorado invested between $800,000 and $1 million in safety upgrades, said spokeswoman Diane Mulligan.  

Means said she couldn’t speak to conditions at the Burch Farms site, but she said that produce growers take the problem “very seriously.”

“We’re always disappointed when anything leads to consumer concerns,” she said.

However, she noted that the contamination was detected, the affected melons were recalled and that no illnesses have been reported to date.

“We wouldn’t want to see anyone stop eating cantaloupe,” she said. “I am confident that the system is working.”

But Wakley-Paciorek said that she no longer buys any melon. To learn that unsanitary conditions were found at another cantaloupe packing shed less than a year after listeria nearly killed her newborn is dismaying beyond words, she said.

Kendall is developmentally delayed and requires the aid of three physical therapists to help repair the deficits caused by the listeria infection.

“It’s shocking that this could happen again,” she said.

 Related stories on Vitals: 

• Missed cantaloupe listeria strain tied to man's death; new crop in stores
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Ed Andrieski / AP file

Produce manager Nate Codina arranges a display of Rocky Ford cantaloupes at a Kings Soopers market in Denver last week. The new crop is out, just as health officials confirm a new strain linked to last year's deadly listeria outbreak.

A previously unidentified strain of listeria from last year’s deadly cantaloupe outbreak has been linked to the death of a 75-year-old Montana man, even as the new crop of Colorado melons fills store shelves.

The new strain was collected from cut cantaloupe in a home refrigerator last September, at the start of the listeria outbreak that eventually sickened 146 people and led to at least 30 deaths and one miscarriage. But Colorado health officials didn’t send the sample to federal officials for 10 months because it didn’t match strains from any known victims in that state.

“We didn’t look more broadly,” said Alicia Cronquist, an epidemiologist with the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment.

When they finally did send it to the federal PulseNet monitoring program last month, it turned out to be identical to a rare strain of listeria detected in a Montana victim who died in January.

That increases the number of strains in the 28-state outbreak to five, up from the four strains responsible for most of the illnesses, said Dr. Benjamin Silk, an epidemiologist at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

It also adds the elderly Bozeman man to the CDC’s roster of cases, bringing the tally to 147, though it’s not yet clear whether his death can be counted in the total.

“We know that the patient had the outbreak strain,” said Silk, who confirmed that the man ate contaminated cantaloupe. “What they’re looking into now is whether the cause of death was from the listeria infection.”

Montana health officials should learn this week whether listeria killed the man outright or whether another disease or illness was responsible, said Jim Murphy, chief of the state’s communicable disease bureau.

Rocky Ford cantaloupes back in stores
The first cantaloupes from Colorado’s famed Rocky Ford growing region have just appeared in local produce aisles last week after safety upgrades that totaled between $800,000 and $1 million, said spokeswoman Diane Mulligan, who represents a coalition of 15 area growers.

“The cantaloupe hit the shelves on Friday,” said Mulligan, noting that King Soopers grocery stores were swamped by demand. “I can’t get any.”

Those growers are hoping to overcome the damage caused by Jensen Farms, the Holly, Colo., grower responsible for the outbreak, one of the deadliest in U.S. history. Faulty growing, processing and storage conditions and dirty equipment led to the problems, government health officials concluded.

The new safety measures adopted by the Rocky Ford Growers Association include specialized washing, disinfectant and cooling procedures, as well as tracking that monitors the melons from seed to store, Mulligan said.

“They’ve basically taken the utmost safety precautions and are adhering to the stringent processes that are out there,” she added.  

Delayed reporting of the new strain of listeria could have missed other victims, Cronquist, the Colorado epidemiologist, said.

“There’s always a concern that there were others who were sickened by this strain who were not identified,” she said.

The move was prompted only after a food safety lawyer requested state health records related to another cantaloupe victim. Patti Waller, an epidemiologist who works for Marler Clark, the Seattle firm, brought the strain to the lab’s attention, Cronquist confirmed. The situation was first reported in Marler Clark's Food Safety News blog. 

Waller had been investigating the case of Isaak Margolin, a 97-year-old Colorado man who was sickened by one of the four previously identified outbreak strains of listeria last fall, health records showed. Samples of whole cantaloupe and cut cantaloupe from Margolin’s refrigerator included two other strains confirmed in the outbreak.

But one additional strain of listeria was isolated from cut cantaloupe in Margolin’s refrigerator -- and later identified in the Montana man who died.

Colorado officials have changed their protocol for sending samples to the CDC in the wake of the incident, said Cronquist.

“Our lab will post all isolates, not just those in confirmed victims,” she said.

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dole.com

Dole has voluntarily recalled 2,598 cases of recalled Hearts of Romaine salad.

By msnbc.com staff

Dole Fresh Vegetables has recalled 2,598 cases of bagged salads due to a possible risk from listeria, the Food and Drug Administration announced Sunday.

Dole Hearts of Romaine salads are being voluntarily recalled after one bag tested positive for listeria monocytogenes during a random check by the FDA.

The salads were distributed in nine states: Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Maryland, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia. Recalled bags have a product code of 0540N165112A or B, with Use-by date of June 26 and a UPC code of UPC 7143000956. Consumers can find the product code and Use-by date in the upper right-hand corner of the package. The UPC code is on the back of the package, below the barcode.

Anyone who has a bag of the recalled salad should throw it away, the FDA recommends. For more information, consumers can call the Dole Food Company Consumer Response Center at  1-800-356-3111 between 8 a.m. and 3 p.m. PT Monday through Friday.

Listeria monocytogenes is a pathogen that can cause foodborne illness, particularly in pregnant women and adults with weakened immune systems. Symptoms of infection may include fever, muscle aches and stomach problems including nausea and diarrhea. 

This is the third time in three months that Dole has recalled bagged salad because of contamination concerns. On April 14, the company recalled 756 cases of Seven Lettuces Salad because of potential salmonella contamination. On June 26, Dole recalled 1,000 cases of Kroger Fresh Selections Greener Supreme, Kroger Fresh Selections Leafy Romaine and Wal-Mart Marketside Leafy Romaine salads.

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Dole Fresh Vegetables has recalled 1,077 cases of bagged salads sold at Kroger and Wal-Mart stores in six states because of concerns about potential listeria contamination. 

No illnesses have been reported in association with the recall. The products carry a best-use date of June 19, 2012, and should have already been removed from retailers' shelves, but consumers should make sure they don't have the products at home. 

The products being recalled are Kroger Fresh Selections Greener Supreme coded N158 211B 1613 KR04 and UPC 11110 91039; Kroger Fresh Selections Leafy Romaine coded N158 111B KR11 and UPC 11110 91046 and Wal-Mart Marketside Leafy Romaine coded N158111B and UPC code 81131 02781.

The product code and use-by date are in the upper right-hand corner of the package; the UPC code is on the back of the package, below the bar code. The salads were distributed in Georgia, Kentucky, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia. 

The precautionary recall was initiated after a product in North Carolina tested positive for listeria, Dole officials said in a press release.

Listeria monocytogenes is a pathogen that can cause foodborne illness, particularly in pregnant women and adults with weakened immune systems. Symptoms of infection may include fever, muscle aches and stomach problems including nausea and diarrhea. 

Dole officials are cooperating with the federal Food and Drug Administration. This is the second time in three months that Dole has recalled bagged salad because of contamination concerns. On April 14, the company recalled 756 cases of Seven Lettuces Salad because of potential salmonella contamination.

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Five months after the first report of listeria infections tied to contaminated cantaloupe, victims of the outbreak continue to die. But just how many isn't clear. 

A lawyer representing those sickened says four more people have died after lingering illnesses linked to eating the tainted fruit last summer. But officials with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention say the agency has been notified of just two more deaths tied to the outbreak. Those deaths occurred "well before" the agency's Dec. 8 "final" report, but were logged only after, said Lola Russell, a spokeswoman for the CDC.

At that time, CDC reported 30 deaths and one miscarriage related to the outbreak, part of 146 illnesses in 28 states.

The discrepancy may lie in how outbreak-related deaths are reported by state-level officials, Russell wrote in an e-mail.

"It can be unclear whether a death is directly related to infection with listeria when a patient dies many weeks or months after first becoming ill with listeria infection, especially if the patient was elderly or had serious medical conditions that also can lead to death," Lola Russell wrote. "The count of outbreak-related deaths is not final and may still change."

Bill Marler, a Seattle food safety lawyer, said that three of his clients have died in the weeks since the CDC report. They include Paul Schwarz, 92, of Kansas City, Mo.; Sharon Jones, 62, of Castle Rock, Colo.; and Mike Hauser, 68, of Monument, Colo. Dale L. Braddock, 79, of Omaha, Neb., also reportedly died after contracting a listeria infection.

Russell, of the CDC, could not provide the states where the two deaths beyond the 30 the agency has previously counted occurred.

Marler and other food safety lawyers are suing producers and distributors of the tainted fruit, including Jensen Farms of Holly, Colo., where federal inspectors found evidence that poor sanitation, poor storage practices and dirty equipment caused the deadly outbreak. Illnesses were first reported on Sept. 2; recall of the entire crop of cantaloupes soon followed.

Related:

• Final tally on cantaloupe crisis: 146 sick, 30 dead
• Tiny listeria survivor comes home for Christmas
• Consumers couldn't have washed away cantaloupe contamination

Jonathan Adams for msnbc.com

Newborn Kendall Paciorek is fed by her big sister, Madison, 4, on her first day home from the hospital. Kendall was born prematurely when her mother contracted listeria after eating contaminated cantaloupe. Kendall has little energy for feeding, so when she refuses a bottle, she must be fed through a stomach tube.

Three months after she was born, Kendall Paciorek is finally home, just in time for Christmas.

The premature girl from Fishers, Ind., is one of the tiniest victims of last summer’s deadly listeria outbreak in cantaloupe, which sickened 146 people, including 30 who died.

Kendall spent the first several weeks of her life in an incubator, fighting off an infection contracted when her mother ate tainted melon traced to Jensen Farms of Holly, Colo.

She’s strong enough now to sleep in her own crib in the house where big sister Madison, 4, loves to color pictures of Santa.

Officials at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention declared the outbreak over this month, and the rest of the world seems poised to move on.

But for Kendall and her family, the impact of the foodborne illness caused by a summer snack is just beginning.

“Right now they don’t know what’s going to happen to her in the long term,” said Michelle Wakley-Paciorek, Kendall’s 41-year-old mother. “We were told she could have mental and or physical delays.”

Kendall was one of three newborns diagnosed with listeria infections in the outbreak that largely affected the elderly, according to the CDC. Four pregnant women became ill; one had a miscarriage.

For now, there’s no sign of serious trouble, other than the feeding tube that runs into Kendall’s stomach because the baby has had difficulty eating.

Jonathan Adams for msnbc.com

Dad Dave Paciorek, sister Madison and mom Michelle Wakley-Paciorek are grateful to bring baby Kendall home from the hospital in time for Christmas.

With help, she’s gained weight, now topping 7 pounds, up from 3 pounds, 11 ounces when she arrived suddenly on Sept. 21.

That was a week after the federal Food and Drug Administration announced a voluntary recall of the entire crop of fresh, whole cantaloupe from Jensen Farms.

But for Kendall and her mom, it was already too late.  

“We’re thinking I ate cantaloupe sometime in the first three to four weeks of August,” Wakley recalled. “I ate it probably multiple times. You try to eat better because you’re pregnant.”

Wakley never became violently ill. Instead, she suffered headaches, muscle aches, fever and chills for several weeks before she started having contractions during a pedicure.

“I couldn’t even believe I was in labor,” said Wakley, who was rushed to an emergency department and given drugs to halt delivery.  

Despite the effort, Kendall was born hours later, but so small and sick that doctors feared for her life.

Blood tests later revealed that both mother and baby were infected with listeria later traced to the tainted Colorado cantaloupe.

The months since then have been a blur of hospital rooms, doctors’ visits and worried conversations about Kendall’s future.

“You almost panic because they tell you about all kinds of learning disabilities and other problems,” she said. “It’s been like an emotional roller-coaster.”

It’s not clear whether Wakley can continue working, or whether she’ll need to quit her job to care for Kendall and her sister full-time. Her husband, Dave Paciorek, 41, is a senior manager at Federal Express.

The family has hired Seattle food safety lawyer Bill Marler, to represent them in a private lawsuit to make sure their daughter gets any care she needs. Marler said he has about 45 clients with cases tied to the Jensen Farms outbreak, including families of 10 of the people who died.

So far, Kendall Paciorek is the youngest victim he represents, Marler said. "I think there are probably dozens of those cases out there," he added.

Food and Drug Administration inspectors found that the outbreak was traced to dirty equipment, faulty sanitation and bad storage practices at the Colorado farm.

That’s especially galling to Michelle Wakley, who said she’s gotten over the “why me?” phase of shock about her daughter’s illness. Even as she prepares to celebrate Christmas with Kendall at home, she finds it hard to hide her frustration that simple sanitation could have saved her family such heartache.

“It’s reckless. It’s something that could have been prevented,” Wakley said. “No one should have to go through this.”

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Government health officials issued a final tally Thursday for a months-long outbreak of listeria food poisoning in contaminated cantaloupe: 146 sick and 30 dead.

Those numbers reflected infections in 28 states tied to tainted whole melons from Jensen Farms of Holly, Colo., the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported. Faulty processing and shipping practices at the firm's Granada, Colo., packing facility led to the dozens of illnesses and deaths -- and decimated the melon market in several states.

The outbreak is the worst since a California listeria outbreak in 1985 in which contaminated Mexican-style fresh cheese caused 52 deaths, including many stillbirths, according to the CDC.

Among 140 ill people who offered information about what they ate, 94 percent reported eating cantaloupe in the month before they got sick, including many who said it came from one region in southeastern Colorado. The outbreak of listeria monocytogenes, the first detected in melons, led to at least 142 hospitalizations and a miscarriage.

More than 310,000 cases of potentially tainted cantaloupes were shipped to at least 24 states between July 29 and Sept. 10.

The toll from listeria-tainted cantaloupe climbed higher again on Wednesday, with 139 sickened and 29 dead in the outbreak that may be the deadliest in U.S. history, health officials reported.

In addition to the reported deaths, one pregnant woman had a miscarriage after becoming infected with any of four strains of listeria bacteria linked to whole, fresh cantaloupes from Jensen Farms of Holly, Colo. Reports of illness have been logged in 28 states.

The outbreak is the worst since a California listeria outbreak in 1985 in which contaminated Mexican-style fresh cheese caused 52 deaths, including many stillbirths, according to figures from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

By other accounts, the cantaloupe crisis may already have matched the adult deaths confirmed in that outbreak. In a New England Journal of Medicine analysis in 1988, investigators said the outbreak caused deaths of 28 adults and newborns and 20 stillbirths or miscarriages.

CDC officials weren't immediately available to comment on the trajectory of the outbreak, which was expected to continue to claim lives and cause illness through the fall. Listeria infections have a long incubation period, so people who ate tainted cantaloupe two months ago may only now be reporting illness, health officials said. The outbreak toll may be slowing, noted Bill Marler, a Seattle food poisoning lawyer who represents several clients sickened by the fruit. But it's still not over.

"I think the hopeful sign is that it's tapering off," he said. "But people are still in the hospital, some in critical condition. Will that number go up? Unfortunately, I think it will."

Dirty equipment, an unsanitary environment and poor storage practicescaused the outbreak at the packing site operated by Jensen Farms, the federal Food and Drug Administration found. It's not clear whether Jensen Farms officials will be required to testify in front of Congress. Members of the Energy and Commerce subcomittee had requested a hearing no later than Thursday, but no hearing has yet been scheduled.