Frozen mamey fruit pulp has been linked to an outbreak of typhoid fever in the United States, say federal officials.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said seven cases have been confirmed (four in Nevada and three in California) and two more California cases are being investigated. Five people have been hospitalized, the Associated Press reported.
Five of the victims drank milkshakes or smoothies made with frozen mamey fruit pulp. In four of those cases, the pulp was made by Goya Foods Inc. of Secaucus, N.J. A sample from a package sold in Las Vegas tested positive for the bacteria that causes typoid, the FDA said.
Mamey, a reddish tropical fruit grown mainly in Central and South America, is also known as zapote or sapote, the AP reported.
Typhoid fever is a life-threatening illness that is rare in the U.S., with only about 400 cases a year. Most U.S. patients catch the disease while traveling abroad.
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