SunFed cucumbers and Costco eggs recalled for potential salmonella contamination: NPR

A US Food and Drug Administration building is seen behind FDA logos at a bus stop on the agency’s campus in Silver Spring, Md., in 2018. Cucumbers shipped to the US and Canada, and organic eggs sold at 25 Costco stores in five southern US states , was recalled this week for potential salmonella contamination.

Jacquelyn Martin/AP

hide caption

change caption

Jacquelyn Martin/AP

Cucumbers shipped to the US and Canada, and organic eggs sold at 25 Costco stores in five southern US states, were recalled this week for potential salmonella contamination.

The cucumber outbreak sickened 68 people, including 18 who were hospitalized in 19 states, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Friday. No one is dead. Products grown in Sonora, Mexico, by Agrotato SA may be the culprit, the agency said.

A recall announced Thursday by US Food and Drug Administration was linked to the outbreak. Arizona-based SunFed Produce recalled cucumbers sold between Oct. 12 and Nov. 26, the FDA said.

The recall came after SunFed was told by the FDA that there were associated illnesses reported between October 12 and November 15. People who bought cucumbers during the window should check with the store where they bought them to see if the products are part of the recall.

The egg recall involved nearly 11,000 cartons of 24-count organic eggs sold under Costco’s Kirkland Signature brand that landed on shelves in Alabama, North Carolina, Georgia, South Carolina and Tennessee as of Nov. 22. according to the company’s announcement published on Wednesday on the FDA website.

No illnesses were immediately reported. Handsome Brook Farms said the cartons contained eggs that were “not intended for retail distribution.” Shoppers should check that their egg cartons have Julian code 327 printed on the side and have an expiration date of January 5, 2025. If the eggs are included in the recall, throw them out or take them back to the store for a refund.

Customers who had any of the recalled foods should wash items and surfaces that may have come into contact with the foods using warm, soapy water or a dishwasher.

Salmonella can cause symptoms that begin six hours to six days after ingesting the bacteria and include diarrhea, fever, and stomach cramps. Most people recover without treatment within a week, but young children, people over 65 and people with weakened immune systems can become seriously ill.

Earlier this summer, a separate salmonella outbreak in cucumbers sickened 450 people in the United States