Salmonella contamination prompts import alert for Mexican papayas
The FDA has determined that papaya imported from Mexico appears to be adulterated within the meaning of section 402(a)(1) of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act because the papayas appear to contain Salmonella.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued an import alert on Mexican papayas. U.S. import data from January 2011 shows that approximately 65% of all papayas imported into the United States are from Mexico, which makes Mexico the largest exporter of fresh papayas into the United States. Evidence shows there is widespread contamination of Mexican papaya with Salmonella. Based on this evidence, the FDA has determined that papaya imported from Mexico appears to be adulterated within the meaning of section 402(a)(1) of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act because the papayas appear to contain Salmonella.
The FDA has been collecting and analyzing samples of raw, fresh whole papaya imported from Mexico since 2011 when it found Salmonella in 33 samples out of a total of 211, or a 15.6% positive rate. The positive samples were from 28 different firms and include nearly all the major papaya producing regions in Mexico.
In addition, a multi-state outbreak of human infections of salmonellosis occurred in 2011. More than 100 people were infected with the outbreak organism in multiple states. The pathogen, identified as Salmonella Agona, is attributable to a specific, uncommon serotype of Salmonella with an indistinguishable pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) pattern by two enzymes.
While investigating the outbreak, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) identified papaya as a likely vehicle. At the same time, state public health agencies conducted interviews of cases to identify the sources of papaya purchased by cases. Using the information provided by the cases, tracebacks were conducted in multiple states. The FDA also collected samples of papaya to test for the outbreak strain. Based on information from the outbreak investigation, the outbreak has been associated with papaya from at least one grower and its shipper in Mexico.
The FDA is therefore instructing districts to detain, without physical examination (DWPE), all fresh and raw refrigerated papaya offered for entry from the country of Mexico, unless exempted. Detention without physical examination is indicated for whole fresh papaya only. Processed papaya (cut or sliced and packaged; or canned or jarred) is not subject to DWPE.
In order to secure release of an individual shipment detained pursuant to this import alert, the importer should provide results of a third-party laboratory analysis, which verifies the product does not contain Salmonella.