Following Salmonella Outbreaks Linked to Indiana Cantaloupe, FDA and Purdue University Launch Environmental Study
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The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), in partnership with Purdue University and Indiana produce industry members, has begun a new, multi-year environmental study of Salmonella in the Southwest Indiana agricultural region. The study was prompted by multiple Salmonella outbreaks linked to cantaloupe grown in the area, and the research aims to assess risks related to how Salmonella is distributed and survives in Indiana’s environment to identify and implement mitigation strategies.
Specifically, the study is being initiated following outbreaks linked to cantaloupe grown in Southwest Indiana where a specific source or route of contamination was not found, but other varieties of Salmonella were identified, some which were genetically similar to clinical, environmental, and food isolates collected in relation to the region over the last decade. These findings suggest that Salmonella is a reoccurring issue in the region and that multiple reservoirs for Salmonella may exist. The outbreak investigations have shown that that there are complex environmental survival, proliferation, and dispersal mechanisms of pathogens in this region that need to be better understood.
FDA will work in partnership with water quality, food safety, and agricultural experts from Purdue University and other agricultural stakeholders to form research teams that will collect and examine samples from the environment such as surface waters, soil, and dust. The team will also collect scat samples to assess the impact that animal intrusion and native wildlife may have on the growing environment.
This study is intended to help FDA and the local growing community better understand the source of pathogens, their persistence, and how they transfer through the growing environment to help inform food safety practices.
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