Cucumber recall sparks Salmonella warning in 26 states and parts of Canada

Cucumbers sold in 26 US states and five Canadian provinces have been recalled after reports of illnesses caused by Salmonella pollution.

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) shared a message on Thanksgiving Day to warn consumers that they “should not consume” or otherwise use the bulk SunFed brand American cucumbers that were recalled the previous day.

The cucumbers were sold in bulk cardboard containers that include a “SunFed” label and in generic white boxes and black plastic boxes that include a sticker that says “Agrotato, SA de CV,” which is the name of the grower.

The recall applies to the following states: Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, 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.

The Canadian provinces of Alberta, British Columbia, Calgary, Saskatchewan and Ontario are also part of the recall. All of the recalled cucumbers were sold in the United States and Canada between October 12 and November 26.

Consumers who purchased the cucumbers should either throw them away, destroy them or return them to their place of purchase for a refund.

“Anyone with the recalled product in their possession should not consume, serve, use, sell or distribute recalled products,” the statement said. “We also encourage them to clean and disinfect surfaces that may have come into contact with the recalled product to reduce cross-contamination.”

Consumers with additional questions may contact Sunfed by phone at 888-542-5849 Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Mountain Standard Time.

SunFed said the recall was initiated after the FDA informed the company that the cucumbers sickened an unspecified number of people between October 12 and November 15.

Newsweek reached out to the FDA for comment by email Thursday.

“As soon as we became aware of this issue, we acted immediately to protect consumers. We are working closely with authorities and the ranch involved to determine the possible cause,” SunFed President Craig Slate said in a statement.

“Here at SunFed, food safety and the health and well-being of consumers have been our priorities for more than 30 years,” he added. “We require all of our growers to strictly adhere to FDA food safety requirements.”

Although it was not clear how many people were sickened by the cucumbers or where the illnesses occurred, Salmonella is the most common American cause of food poisoning. SunFed said those who had “consumed a recalled product and are not feeling well” should include their healthcare provider.

What can be expected with salmonella poisoning?

Consuming Salmonella– contaminated food can lead to an infection known as salmonellosis, which usually appears between six hours and six days after consumption and typically lasts four to seven days, according to to the US Food Safety and Inspection Service.

Salmonellosis includes symptoms such as stomach cramps, diarrhea that may be bloody and fever. Severe cases, which can be fatal and are more likely to occur in children, the elderly or people with compromised immune systems, include a range of other symptoms involving the joints and nervous system.