United States: The FDA on Thursday said that a salmonella outbreak that has been traced to cucumbers has reached 100 people in 23 states. This situation is slightly up from 68 cases that was recorded mid-December.
Occupancies and Investigation Progress
Out of 90 respondents whose responses were detailed, 25 respondents have been admitted to the hospital but no death has occurred among them. The American Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) only went public on the investigation in late November linking the contamination to cucumbers produced by Agrotato, S.A. de C.V in Sonora, Mexico and sourced by SunFed Produce LLC, as reported by HealthDay.
Details of the Recall
SunFed Produce LLC issued a recall for cucumbers sold between October 12 and November 26. The affected produce was packaged in bulk cardboard boxes with the SunFed label or generic white boxes and black plastic crates. These cucumbers were distributed in 32 U.S. states, including Alaska, California, Texas, and New York, as well as parts of Canada such as Alberta and Ontario.
The SunFed cucumber Salmonella outbreak has now sickened at least 100 people in 23 states. There are 25 people in the hospital because they are so sick.https://t.co/DwCB8bu05A
— Food Poisoning Bulletin (@FPBulletin) December 20, 2024
SunFed President Craig Slate assured consumers that the company is cooperating with authorities to determine the source of contamination. “We require all our growers to strictly comply with FDA food safety requirements,” he stated.
Consumer Advisory
Customers are encouraged to compare their cucumbers with the list of recalled products and refrain from eating and sharing such products. It is not the first time when cucumbers have been associated with salmonella, this year, in South Florida, tainted produce led to 551 cases of infection and 155 hospitalizations.
Salmonella Risks and Symptoms
In healthy person, Salmonella infections result in fever, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain. Still, children, the elderly, and immunocompressed people are in a more dangerous position because they might develop arterial infections, endocarditis, and arthritis. The symptoms usually develop between 6 hours—6 days postinfection and the resolution of the symptoms is typically within a week, as reported by HealthDay.
Current Salmonella Estimate by CDC
Salmonella is estimated to be responsible for 1.35 million cases in the US each year as per CDC. The consumers are encouraged not to compromise and report any contamination to the relevant health departments.