By SDCN Editor
Rio Rico, AZ–SunFed Produce, LLC is recalling all sizes of whole fresh American cucumbers due to possible salmonella contamination, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration confirmed.
The cucumbers are 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.” They were sold between October 12 thru November 26.
Salmonella is an organism that can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems. Healthy persons infected with salmonella often experience fever, diarrhea (which may be bloody), nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain. In rare circumstances, infection with salmonella can result in the organism getting into the bloodstream and producing more severe illnesses such as arterial infections (i.e., infected aneurysms), endocarditis and arthritis. Symptoms of salmonellosis usually start 6 hours to 6 days after infection and last 4 to 7 days.
The cucumbers were sold by SunFed and other importers and shipped to customers located in the states of 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, Wisconsin, and the Canadian provinces of Alberta, British Columbia, Calgary, Saskatchewan, and Ontario. The cucumbers would have reached consumers through food service and retail outlets that may be located in states.
SunFed initiated the recall after the Food and Drug Administration notified the company that the cucumbers were associated with reported salmonellosis illnesses between October 12 – November 15. The company also contacted its direct buyers to advise them of the recall. No other products sold by or farms supplying to SunFed are implicated in this recall.
The individual whole American cucumbers may also have a PLU sticker on them.
Anyone with the recalled product in their possession should not consume, serve, use, sell, or distribute recalled products. We also encourage them to clean and sanitize surfaces that could have come into contact with the recalled product to reduce cross-contamination.
Recalled products should be thrown out or destroyed so they may not be consumed or returned to the point of purchase.
Consumers who are unsure if they have purchased the recalled product are advised to contact their retailer.
Anyone who may have consumed a recalled product should contact their healthcare provider.
“As soon as we learned of this issue, we immediately acted to protect consumers. We are working closely with authorities and the implicated ranch to determine the possible cause,” said Craig Slate, President at SunFed. “Here at SunFed, food safety and consumer health and wellness have been our priorities for more than 30 years. We require all of our growers to strictly comply with the FDA food safety requirements.”
Consumers who have purchased the recalled products may obtain additional information by contacting SunFed’s recall hotline at (888) 542-5849, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. MST.
