The Latest Cucumber Recall Is Impacting 26 States
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) are investigating following an outbreak of Salmonella, which has affected people across 26 states as well as parts of Canada. According to the FDA, the multistate outbreak has been linked to fresh American and slicer cucumbers grown by Agrotato, S.A. de C.V. in Sonora, Mexico. SunFed Produce, LLC has issued a recall of all cucumbers sold between October 12, 2024, and November 26, 2024.
According to the FDA, the affected cucumbers were sold across a range of locations including 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.
However, the CDC lists the following locations: Alaska, California, Colorado, Iowa, Illinois, Massachusetts, Montana, Nebraska, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming, with Montana showing the most reported cases.
The Canadian provinces affected include Alberta, British Columbia, Calgary, Ontario, and Saskatchewan. People started reporting illnesses between October 12, 2024, and November 16, 2024. As of 29, November, 68 people have reported being affected, resulting in 18 hospitalizations.
This latest Salmonella outbreak follows an egg recall that was elevated to the highest risk level in September 2024. Earlier this year, 155 people were hospitalized in South Florida due to Salmonella linked to cucumbers. There have been no deaths associated with the current SunFed Produce recall at the time of writing.
Check the sticker and throw away recalled cucumbers
Sunfed said in a statement on its website that the recall involved all sizes of whole fresh American cucumbers, which were sold "in bulk cardboard containers labeled with the 'SunFed' label or in a generic white box or black plastic crate." If you bought whole cucumbers during the affected dates, check the sticker to see if they are part of the recall, and dispose of them if so.
If you are unsure if the grocery store cucumbers you purchased are part of the recall, then it's best to discard them. Once you have thrown the vegetables away, make sure to also thoroughly clean and sanitize any surfaces that have been in contact with the affected produce.
Salmonella is a type of food poisoning that causes symptoms such as diarrhea, fever, and stomach cramps — though it can occasionally lead to other health problems. It is the type of foodborne illness most commonly reported, with around 1.4 million cases each year in the United States (per the USDA). Symptoms usually begin between six hours and six days after infection. If you become ill with symptoms of salmonella after eating cucumbers that may have been affected by this latest recall, you should consult your healthcare provider.