FDA continues investigation into salmonella linked to peaches

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has declared the outbreak of salmonella linked to peaches from Prima Wawona/Wawona Packing Co., but the Food and Drug Administration is continuing its investigation.

The CDC and Public Health Agency of Canada declared the outbreak over, with 101 and 57 ill people, respectively, in each country.

The FDA reported it had identified multiple distributors, packing facilities and orchards that supplied peaches during the outbreak period. The FDA and California authorities visited Wawona Packing facilities and orchards. More than 570 samples were taken during the investigation.

Authorities inspected four Prima Wawona cold storage and packing facilities, and took samples from environmental surfaces and fruit. All samples from the facilities were negative for salmonella, according to the FDA update.

The FDA also collected samples of leaves and peaches from orchards. Although four out of 40 subsamples of leaves and peaches were positive for salmonella, they did not match the strain involved in the outbreak. Wawona “acted quickly to prevent potentially affected product from reaching the market,” according to the FDA’s Oct. 15 update.

The FDA is taking samples at other peach orchards.

“Although the outbreak is being declared over, FDA will continue its investigation and will communicate any findings that could assist future prevention efforts,” according to the FDA’s update.

Related stories:

Prima Wawona peaches shipped to more than a dozen countries

(UPDATED) Prima Wawona recalls bagged, bulk peaches

(UPDATED) Wawona brand peaches linked to salmonella outbreak