The Canadian Food Inspection Agency is warning Canadians that a batch of mangoes sold between July 12 and August 14 of this summer may be contaminated with salmonella. “There have been several confirmed illnesses associated with the consumption of these mangoes,” the organization said in a statement released Friday afternoon.
The affected mangoes came with a sticker that reads PLU# 4959 and were sold in British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Northwest Territories, Nunavut and Yukon.
The organization said Food contaminated with salmonella may not look or smell spoiled. But consumption of food contaminated with the bacteria can cause salmonellosis, a foodborne illness.
Young children, the elderly and people with weakened immune systems are particularly susceptible and salmonellosiscould cause serious and even deadly infections for those individuals.
In otherwise healthy people, salmonellosis may cause short-term symptoms such as high fever, severe headache, vomiting, nausea, abdominal pain and diarrhea. Long-term complications may include severe arthritis.
The CFIA said people who exhibit symptoms of the disease should contact their doctor and those who believe they may have bought the affected mangoes should contact their retailers to check.
The voluntary recall by the Vancouver-based importer, North American Produce Sales, is being monitored by the CFIA.
For more information on the recall, consumers and industry can call the CFIA at 1-800-442-2342.