When I got pregnant, I remember being warned about things like raw milk cheese and sushi. I remember being warned about deli meats and undercooked eggs. But no one warned me about the cantaloupe.
From the article:
Michelle Wakley was in her sixth month of pregnancy in September when she ate fresh cantaloupe in her home in Indianapolis. Within days she was rushed into a hospital emergency room, forced into premature labor from the infection ravaging her body.
This was in 2011, of course, and it was one of the worst outbreaks in the country. Roughly three dozen dead, 110 sickened. From fresh melon.
And when you read that when you yourself are six months pregnant? It can freak you out a little. So being a modern day mom-to-be, I did what seemed natural: I created a Google alert for “listeria recall”.
And this is where I found out something funny. Most listeria outbreaks don’t seem to be with raw dairy and meat. The last two that have popped up? Smoked salmon and a fruit and grain salad from Publix. Which no one’s warned me about, either.
So in short: food supply roulette. Extra fun during pregnancy! And I’m not deleting my Google alerts anytime soon.