Cucumber Recall Expands: See All the Products Pulled From Shelves Over Possible Salmonella Contamination

In late November, SunFed Produce LLC voluntarily recalled all sizes of the brand’s whole fresh American cucumbers grown by Agrotato, S.A. de C.V. in Mexico.

The recall stemmed from a Salmonella outbreak that, as of Nov. 26, has sickened at least 68 people, 18 of whom have been hospitalized. Illnesses were reported in 19 states, with many in Montana, although the cucumbers were distributed to 26 states and parts of Canada. 

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recommended that customers throw away any SunFed cucumbers purchased between Oct. 12 and Nov. 26. 

Since then, a flurry of additional brands have recalled their cucumbers (or cucumber-containing products) in connection with the Salmonella outbreak. Here’s what you need to know.

In late November and early December, Baloian Farms of Arizona Co., Inc. (Baloian Farms) and Russ Davis Wholesale (Russ Davis) initiated voluntary recalls of all sizes of fresh American and slicer cucumbers also grown by Agrogato. These cucumbers were sold between Oct.12 and Nov.26.

The Baloian Farms cucumbers were distributed in California, Arizona, Texas, Michigan, Montana, North Carolina, Colorado, Kansas, New York, Massachusetts, Idaho, Oregon, Washington, Nevada, Iowa, Missouri, Wisconsin, Alaska, and the Canadian provinces of Alberta and British Columbia.

In addition to the whole, fresh cucumbers, Russ Davis has also recalled multiple products containing the vegetables:

·    Crazy Fresh Garden Salad W/ Ranch Dressing

·    Quick & Easy Garden Salad with Ranch Dressing

·    Crazy Fresh Turkey Havarti Wrap

·    Quick & Easy Bacon Avocado Wrap

·    Crazy Fresh Bacon Avocado Wrap

·    Kowalski’s Market Garden Salad

The recalled products were distributed to booth foodservice and retail customers in Iowa, Illinois, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, North Dakota, Nebraska, South Dakota, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.

Beginning Wednesday, several companies recalled cucumbers in connection to the original SunFed recall. 

JFE Franchising, Inc. recalled select cucumber-containing Snowfruit and Snowfox products sold at Kroger retail stores in Texas, Louisiana, Wyoming, Arizona, and Colorado. The recalled products include:

·    Cucumber Slices with Tajin

·    Vegetable Bowl

·    Mixed Melon, Cucumber & Tajin   

·    Cucumber, Lime & Tajin 

·    Large Vegetable Tray

·    Vegetable Bowl

·    Cucumber Bowl with Ranch   

·    Small Vegetable Tray       

·    Garden Salad  

·    Family Garden Salad       

·    Family Cobb Salad  

·    Cobb Salad      

·    Cucumber with Ranch    

·    Chef Salad       

·    Watermelon & Cucumber w/ Tajin

·    Cucumber Salad

·    Spicy Cucumber Salad

Additionally, Walmart Inc. recalled Marketside Fresh Cut Cucumber Slices sold in 34 stores in Texas. The product may contain cucumbers supplied by SunFed, the FDA said. 

On Thursday, Supreme Service Solutions recalled certain grab ‘n go products sold at select Kroger and King Soopers stores in Texas and Colorado. Those include:

·    Large Vegetable Tray 42oz      

·    Vegetable Bowl $5 

·    Vegetable Bowl $10 26 oz      

·    Vegetable Ranch Tray No Dip Small 19.50 oz 

·    Chef Salad       

·    Family Cobb Salad 22 oz

·    Individual Garden Salad 12 oz

·    Individual Greek Salad 12 oz  

·    Family Garden Salad 24 oz     

·    Individual Cobb Salad 11 oz  

·    Southwest Salad 11 oz    

·    Cucumber w/ Ranch Snack Cup     

·    Cucumber Slices W/Tajin 10 oz      

·    Cucumber Bowl with Ranch dip

Also on Thursday, Yummi Sushi LLC issued a recall of grab-n-go containers of cut produce sold at Kroger stores in Texas.

It’s not clear at this point how the cucumbers were contaminated. SunFed did not respond to Health’s request for comment by deadline.

Salmonella is a bacteria that can cause an illness known as salmonellosis. The bacteria lives in the intestines of people and animals, but people can be infected after having contaminated food or drinks, or by touching animals, animal feces, or places where animals roam.

Salmonellosis can cause severe stomach cramps, along with watery diarrhea that may contain blood or mucus. Headaches, nausea, vomiting, and loss of appetite are also common with a Salmonella infection. Children under the age of five, older adults, and people with weakened immune systems are more likely to become seriously ill from salmonella.

It’s not rare for food recalls to expand after an original recall, Darin Detwiler, LPD, author of the book Food Safety: Past, Present, and Predictions and a professor at Northeastern University, told Health. This is usually due to follow-up testing. “That uncovers further contamination or new reports of illnesses linked to products not included in the initial recall,” he said.

Given how many different cucumber products are recalled at the moment, Detwiler said people from the vulnerable groups previously mentioned may want to avoid cucumbers for now.