Burch cantaloupes, honeydews recalled

Officials of Burch Equipment of North Carolina said Monday it is recalling all of this growing season's cantaloupes and honeydew melons for possible Listeria. Burch officials said no illnesses were reported to date, but the whole cantaloupes are identified by a red label saying Burch Farms PLU # 4319. The food news Web site Food Beat reported Burch first recalled 5,200 cantaloupes last month and then expanded the recall to 189,000 cantaloupes and melons in 10 states. All cantaloupes involved in the recall were grown by Burch Farms, but some of the cantaloupes may have been identified with a "Cottle Strawberry Inc." sticker referencing PLU #4319 -- Cottle Strawberry Inc. did not grow or process the cantaloupe involved in this recall, officials said. Honeydew melons involved in the expanded recall do not bear any identifying stickers and were packed in cartons labeled "melons," officials said. Consumers who may have purchased these honeydew melons should contact the store where they purchased them for information about whether they are part of this recall. The cantaloupes and honeydew melons involved in the expanded recall were sold to distributors between June 23 and July 27 in Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, Michigan, North Carolina, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Virginia, Vermont and West Virginia. Burch is requesting any consumer who may have one of these cantaloupes or honeydews to discard the product.