Image by Kai Reschke from Pixabay
Over the weekend, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced an outbreak of Salmonella linked to imported cucumbers. A recall has been announced in response to these illnesses and strong correlation between becoming sick and eating certain imported cucumbers.
Here’s what we know about the outbreak linked to imported cucumbers and what you should do if you ate them.
As of November 26, 2024, there have been 68 total Salmonella Typhimurium illnesses in this outbreak of Salmonella linked to imported cucumbers. No deaths have been reported yet. But of the 50 people that have information available, 18 have been hospitalized due to severe illness. The agency is still gathering information about the others included in this outbreak as well as additional people with attributable illnesses to get a better understanding of the outbreak situation.
At this time, outbreak patients span 19 states. However, as additional test results become available, it is possible that more may be included in this outbreak.
So far, patients have been reported in the states of Arkansas, California, Colorado, Illinois, Iowa, Massachusetts, Montana, Nebraska, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.
The last report of illness onset was November 16, 2024, but it can take up to two months for a sick person’s sample to be connected to an ongoing outbreak.
Investigators were able to interview 33 of the outbreak patients. These interviews are, in part, to help track down the source of the outbreak.
In this case, a significant number of outbreak patients had something in common.
A strong 82% of those interviewed indicated eating cucumbers before becoming sick.
From there, the FDA linked the outbreak patients to American/slicer cucumbers grown by Agrotato, S.A. de C.V. in Sonora, Mexico. The distributor, SunFed Produce, LLC initiated a voluntary recall in response.
SunFed Produce, LLC initiated a voluntary recall on November 27, 2024. All sizes of their American/slicer cucumbers that were grown by Agrotato, S.A. de C.V. in Sonora, Mexico are subject to this recall.
Affected products were distributed to 26 states in the U.S. as well as internationally to other countries.
These states include Alaska, Arizona, Arizona, 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.
Product may have been distributed further. For example, cases have been reported in Iowa, Montana, Nebraska, Ohio, Oregan, South Dakota, and Wyoming. States outside of the published distribution.
Consumers across the country should be vigilant about this recall.
The Canadian provinces of Alberta, British Columbia, Calgary, Saskatchewan, and Ontario also received these products.
These products were sold between October 12, 2024 and November 26, 2024.
If you purchased cucumbers between October 12, 2024 and November 26, 2024, check the sticker.
The box you purchased them out of could be labeled in a variety of different ways. Or even transferred to other bulk containers.
Your best bet is to look at the sticker. The grower’s name should be on the sticker. If it says “Agrotato, S.A. de C.V.,” do not consume it!
If you are unsure where your cucumbers came from, err on the side of caution and do not eat it. You can also reach out to your point of purchase to find out.
If you have recently eaten these recalled cucumbers, monitor yourself for symptoms. Especially if you are at higher risk of serious illness. This includes young children, adults over 65, and people with weakened immune systems.
Symptoms of salmonellosis, the illness associated with Salmonella infection, usually include diarrhea, stomach cramps, and fever.
People usually begin feeling sick anywhere from 6 hours to 6 days after exposure. Most of the time people feel better within a week (around four to seven days).
Most healthy people will recover on their own without medical assistance and are not recommended to take antibiotics for minor illnesses. This practice is in place to reduce the risk of spreading antibiotic-resistant strains. Severity, however, can vary from person to person.
If you become sick with a Salmonella infection and may be linked to this outbreak of Salmonella linked to imported cucumbers, you may be wondering what you should do.
Most cases of foodborne illness go unreported, as healthy people often experience mild symptoms and do not need medical intervention.
When an outbreak occurs, every bit of data can be important. If you become sick with Salmonella and may be part of this outbreak, there are a few things you can do to help.
Monitor your symptoms and seek medical attention immediately if your symptoms become more severe. Stay hydrated. Like most diarrheal illnesses, Salmonella infection symptoms can dehydrate the body. This can become a serious problem if left unchecked.
Any of the foods you have eaten may be the source of your illness. The outbreak has been narrowed down to a single producer. However, as more information becomes available, this could change. The more thorough you can make your list, the better.
If you are not sick enough to seek medical attention, you can still reach out to your local health department. In most cases, they will want a sample to compare your illness with others in the outbreak. If you have been to a doctor, they will likely order these tests and forward them to the local health department. However, it is a good idea to bring up the potential link.
If you have become seriously ill from consuming cucumbers, you will want to get advice from a food poisoning lawyer. The experienced Salmonella lawyers at The Lange Law Firm, PLLC have helped many people with cases just like yours.
Call (833) 330-3663 for more information or click here to email.
If you’d like to know more about food safety topics in the news, like “FDA Announces an Outbreak of Salmonella Linked to Imported Cucumbers Over the Weekend,” check out the Make Food Safe Blog. We regularly update trending topics, foodborne infections in the news, recalls, and more! Stay tuned for quality information to help keep your family safe, while The Lange Law Firm, PLLC strives to Make Food Safe!
By: Heather Van Tassell (contributing writer, non-lawyer)
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