Cucumbers from several states across the country are being recalled by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) due to potential contamination with Salmonella bacteria. Since June 2024, the federal agency, in collaboration with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), has conducted an investigation into the ongoing salmonella outbreak in the United States. The investigation was launched after more than 100 cases were reported.
The outbreak has been reported in more than two dozen states, including the District of Columbia. Earlier this month, the FDA investigated potential source(s) of contamination, including food products, linked to these illnesses. Salmonella is known as a bacteria that causes salmonellosis, an infectious disease, with associated symptoms like diarrhea and fever.
American cucumber recall
In a report updated on Wednesday, June 12, the FDA announced that epidemiological data indicates that Cucumbers from certain regions of the United States may be contaminated with African Salmonella . As the number of sick people rises, the agency has launched a U.S. cucumber recall initiative, which includes notifying consumers through their grocery store to throw away potentially contaminated green fruit.
Additionally, the initiative also requires commercial retailers and distributors to notify their customers of recalled Cucumbers. The FDA report released Wednesday also provides a map of states where Cucumbers are being recalled. Some of the conditions of concern include:
- Alabama
- Florida
- New York
- New Jersey
- Pennsylvania
- Virginia
Salmonella outbreak in the United States
In a separate report on Wednesday, the CDC provided data on the current salmonella outbreak in the United States.
In its latest investigation notice, the US health agency indicates that related diseases reached 196 cases without human deaths. Meanwhile, 68 hospitalizations were recorded across 28 states, higher than the 24 states previously reported on June 5.
The notice stated that the target batch of Cucumbers was shipped to retail distribution centers, wholesalers and food service distributors from May 17 to 21 of this year. Grown in Florida, the Cucumbers may have been initially sold in at least 14 states but reshipped to other states, according to the CDC report. Most of the affected states are located on the East Coast.
What is salmonella caused by?
In the United States, approximately 40,000 cases of salmonellosis have been reported nationwide, with symptoms ranging from mild to severe. According to the Minnesota Department of Health, common symptoms of salmonellosis are diarrhea, fever, abdominal pain and cramps. Signs of illness may appear within 12 to 96 hours (or up to 2 weeks) after exposure. Health experts recommend rehydration, medications, or antibiotics as necessary treatment for Salmonella.