Health officials warn that recalled cucumbers are linked to a salmonella outbreak in several states

CNN
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Cucumbers sold in more than two dozen U.S. states and Canada are being recalled after 68 salmonella infections were reported. Health officials warn that the contaminated cucumbers may still be in people’s refrigerators and should not be eaten.

SunFed Produce announced Wednesday that it is recalling whole fresh cucumbers shipped to foodservice and retail outlets and sold from Oct. 12 through Nov. 26. The recalled products were in bulk cardboard containers marked “SunFed” or in generic white boxes or black plastic crates with a sticker with the grower’s name, Agrotato, SA de CV They were grown in Sonora, Mexico.

The pickles 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 as well as the Canadian provinces of Alberta, British Columbia, Calgary, Saskatchewan and Ontario. However, the pickles may have reached consumers in other states, according to SunFed.

As of November 26, 68 people in 19 states had been infected with the outbreak strain of Salmonella Typhimurium and 18 of those infected were hospitalized. No deaths were reported. The last reported date of illness was Nov. 16, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said in an outbreak update released Friday.

The recalled cucumbers should be thrown away or destroyed and should not be eaten. People should clean and disinfect surfaces that have come into contact with the recalled products.

“These cucumbers may still be in your refrigerator. So check the stickers on your cucumbers. If the sticker says “SunFed Mexico” as the place where your cucumbers were grown, throw them away or return them to the place where you bought them,” says a food safety alert released Friday by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

In a statement, SunFed President Craig Slate said the company is “working closely with authorities and the affected ranch to determine the possible cause.” Here at SunFed, food safety and the health and well-being of consumers have been a priority for more than 30 years Priority. We require all of our growers to strictly comply with FDA food safety requirements.”

Symptoms of a salmonella infection include diarrhea and bloody diarrhea, fever, chills, headache, stomach cramps, nausea, and vomiting, which can occur within hours or days of consuming the bacteria. Most people recover with specific treatment. However, they should seek immediate medical attention if they have severe symptoms, if symptoms do not improve after a few days, or if there are signs of dehydration. Children, older people, pregnant women and people with weakened immune systems are more likely to become seriously ill.