Cucumbers recalled after illnesses from salmonella contamination

By Jamie Gumbrecht, CNN

(CNN) — Cucumbers distributed to more than two dozen US states and Canada are being recalled after reported illnesses from salmonella contamination.

SunFed Produce announced Wednesday that it’s recalling whole fresh cucumbers sent to foodservice and retail outlets and sold from October 12 through November 26. The recalled products were in bulk cardboard containers labelled SunFed or in generic white boxes or black plastic crates with a sticker with the name of the grower, Agrotato, S. A. de C.V.

They were shipped to customers in Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Missouri, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington and Wisconsin and the Canadian provinces of Alberta, British Columbia, Calgary, Saskatchewan and Ontario. However, the cucumbers may have reached consumers in other states, too, SunFed said.

SunFed said it initiated the recall after the US Food and Drug Administration notified the company about associated illnesses from salmonella contamination from mid-October through mid-November. It’s not clear how many illnesses have been reported. When reached by CNN, the FDA said it had no further updates.

The recalled cucumbers should be thrown out or destroyed and should not be eaten. People should clean and sanitize surfaces that came into contact with the recalled products.

“We are working closely with authorities and the implicated ranch to determine the possible cause,” SunFed President Craig Slate said in a statement. “Here at SunFed, food safety and consumer health and wellness have been our priorities for more than 30 years. We require all of our growers to strictly comply with the FDA food safety requirements.”

Symptoms of a salmonella infection include diarrhea and bloody diarrhea, fever, chills, headache, stomach cramps, nausea and vomiting that can start within hours or days of consuming the bacteria. Most people will recover with specific treatment but they should seek immediate attention from a health-care provider if they have severe symptoms, if symptoms that don’t improve after a few days or if there are signs of dehydration. Children, elderly people, people who are pregnant and people with weakened immune systems are more likely to become severely ill.

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