Tainted Papayas Sold at Walmart Stores

Consumers in the northeastern states of Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania and Rhode Island are being warned not to eat fresh papaya from Mexico. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control has issued a public safety alert after 62 people in eight states were infected with salmonella.

Most papaya comes from Mexico. The potentially tainted fruit was sold at select Walmart and Sam's Club stores. Most who are infected with salmonella experience diarrhea, fever, and stomach cramps anywhere between 1-3 days after eating contaminated food, and the duration of the illness can last up to a week

The best safety precaution is to ask a grocer for information before purchasing any papaya products. They will have information on the source country of the fruit they are selling.