Federal officials say their investigation into a Salmonella outbreak linked to Del Monte vegetable and dip trays has not identified “a single source or potential point of contamination for this outbreak.”

Five people from Minnesota and Wisconsin were confirmed infected with Salmonella Infantis in the outbreak, according to an updat yesterday from the Food and Drug Administration. That number has been holding steady since late May.

The FDA updat says there is little risk to the public at this point because the trays of fresh, pre-cut vegetables described in the initial warning from Wisconsin officials on May 21 are probably not still in consumer’s homes.

“The FDA inspected the Del Monte facility that produced vegetable trays that the Wisconsin Department of Health Services linked to an outbreak of salmonellosis. The facility was in Kankakee, IL,” according to the FDA update.

“The FDA also investigated distribution and supplier information for produce used in the vegetable trays. These investigation activities did not identify a single source or potential point of contamination for this outbreak.”

Del Monte distributed the vegetable-dip trays to Kwik Trip convenience stores in Wisconsin and Minnesota. State authorities told federal officials the outbreak patients reported becoming ill between April 13 and May 15 this year. None required hospitalization. No one died.

Information about Salmonella infections
Food that is contaminated with Salmonella bacteria usually does not look, smell or taste spoiled. Anyone can become sick with a Salmonella infection, but infants, children, seniors and people with weakened immune systems are at higher risk of serious illness because their immune systems are fragile, according to the CDC.

Special tests are necessary to diagnose salmonellosis. Salmonella infection symptoms can mimic other illnesses, frequently leading to misdiagnosis.

Symptoms of Salmonella infection can include diarrhea, abdominal cramps, and fever within 12 to 72 hours after eating contaminated food. Otherwise healthy adults are usually sick for four to seven days. In some cases, however, diarrhea may be so severe that patients need to be hospitalized.

Older adults, children, pregnant women and people with weakened immune systems, such as cancer patients, are more likely to develop a severe illness and serious, sometimes life-threatening conditions.

It is possible for some people to be infected with the bacteria and to not get sick or show any symptoms, but to still be able to spread the infection to others.