The FDA and CDC are investigating a cucumber recall linked to a nationwide salmonella outbreak that sickening at least 26 individuals, the agencies said this week.
Cucumbers grown by Bedner Growers in Florida and distributed by Fresh Start Produce Sales were recalled earlier this week.
The cucumber recall has been linked to a salmonella outbreak in 15 states, including New York, that caused nine people to be hospitalized. The other state were people have fallen ill include Alabama, California, Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia.
Illness typically occurs 12 to 72 hours after eating food contaminated with Salmonella bacteria. Symptoms include diarrhea, fever and abdominal cramps, and can be much more severe for children under age five, the elderly and those with weakened immune systems, according to the FDA.
Some cucumbers potentially contaminated with salmonella were sold at three Bedner’s Farm locations in the Florida cities of Boynton Beach, Delray Beach and West Palm Beach. between April 29 and May 14, the FDA said in an update.
Impacted produce was also sent to retailers, distribution centers and wholesalers, which should not sell or serve the cucumbers since the investigation is ongoing, the food safety agency warned. All cucumbers distributed from April 29 to present are covered in the recall.
Some affected cucumbers were sold individually, while others were sold in packages with varying labels and product names.
The FDA advised that consumers dining out over the next week should ask restaurants if their cucumbers were sourced from Bedner Growers or Fresh Start Produce Sales.
Consumers, retailers and distributors who purchased the potentially contaminated cucumbers should carefully sanitize any areas that came into contact with the recalled produce to avoid cross-contamination.
Retailers and distributors should notify customers of the recall, the FDA added.