Cucumbers In 26 States Have Been Recalled For Salmonella. Here’s What To Look For.

SunFed Produce, an Arizona-based produce company, is recalling cucumbers throughout the United States and Canada that are thought to be contaminated with Salmonella.
According to a SunFed Produce press release, the cucumbers were sold between Oct. 12 and Nov. 26 and shipped to 26 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. (Although impacted cucumbers could be in additional states, too.)
They were also shipped to Alberta, British Columbia, Calgary, Saskatchewan and Ontario in Canada.
The cucumbers are described in the SunFed press release as “whole, fresh American cucumbers” that were “packaged in bulk cardboard containers labeled with the “SunFed” label or in a generic white box or black plastic crate with a sticker that provides the implicated grower’s name, “Agrotato, S.A. de C.V.”
According to the Centers for Disease Control, 68 people in 19 states have become infected with the outbreak strain of Salmonella, and 18 people have been hospitalized.
“The true number of sick people in this outbreak is likely much higher than the number reported, and the outbreak may not be limited to the states with known illnesses,” according to the CDC. It takes weeks to determine if someone is part of an outbreak, plus, many people recover from Salmonella at home without a doctor’s intervention, the organization added.
If you have SunFed cucumbers you should throw them away and sanitize any surfaces they came in contact with, per the Food and Drug Administration. If you don’t know where your cucumbers are from, the FDA recommends contacting the store you purchased them from and asking if they are part of the recall.
Stores have been instructed to get rid of all impacted cucumbers.
Salmonella infections happen most often via contaminated food or water. While some people have no symptoms, many people have stomach cramps, diarrhea and a fever. Additional symptoms include vomiting, nausea and headache.
Symptoms tend to start within three days of consuming a contaminated item, according to the Mayo Clinic. The CDC states symptoms can take up to six days to appear, and can last between four and seven days.
Most people get better on their own, but some groups of people — like young children, older adults and people with a weakened immune system — are at higher risk of complications. People in these categories should talk to their doctor if they think they’ve been infected by Salmonella as there are complications that can happen. If anyone notices signs of dehydration, has a fever of 102 degrees or higher, blood in their stool, they should also contact their doctor.
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The CDC estimates there are 1.35 million Salmonella infections in the U.S. each year. If you’ve eaten cucumbers recently and have any of the above symptoms, contact your doctor.