The Sonora melon processing plant linked to deadly salmonellosis outbreaks in the United States and Canada has tested negative in tests carried out by Mexican health authorities. The results of the analyzes revealed this Tuesday clear up suspicions about the Malachita company, whose melons were targeted by the health organizations of the affected North American countries after 11 deaths and more than 350 infections. The company's processing plant and ejidos were closed last December for analysis. Some tests that the Mexican Government will repeat again in February.
Laboratory analyzes by the National Agri-Food Health, Safety and Quality Service (Senasica) have shown that the origin of the fruit has no relationship with the bacteria. Now the health authorities of Mexico, Canada and the United States must trace the fruit to find out if it was infected in the export process in Mexican territory or in the affected countries themselves, which removed the fruit from large supermarkets at the beginning of December.
In the middle of the same month, Senasica took samples in the production units, packaging areas, water, land and the Malachita company's own melons. Based in Guaymas, in the State of Sonora, all its facilities were closed on December 15 by the Mexican authorities.
The accusation was a blow to the melon industry in Mexico, the second largest producer in the world after Spain. This product left a spill of 331 million dollars for the Mexican economy in 2021, according to the latest report from the Economic Complexity Observatory. Canada and the United States are the main recipients of the fruit. 99 of every 100 melons exported from Mexico arrive there.
In Canada, the Public Health Agency of Canada announced on December 6 that it was withdrawing Mexican melons of the Rudy and Malachita brands – both produced by the Sonora company – after an outbreak that began in early November and has so far He has killed 7 people. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has reported four deaths so far.
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