Cucumbers are being recalled after they were linked to a multi-state Salmonella outbreak.
The cucumbers, according to the Food and Drug Administration, were grown and distributed by Bedner Growers Inc. and sent to retailers, distribution centers, wholesalers and food service distributors from April 29 until this week.
They may have been sold as individual cucumbers or in small packs and may or may not have a label that has the product name, brand, or best by date.
The cucumbers were also sold at Bedner’s Farm Fresh Market in Boynton Beach, Delray Beach and West Palm Beach locations from April 29 to May 14.
The FDA’s investigators took an environmental sample that tested positive for Salmonella and, using Whole Genome Sequencing, matched samples from people who have become ill.
The sample collection was a follow-up to the Salmonella outbreaks from last year.
As of May 16, 26 people have been sickened by the Salmonella strain across 15 states. Nine people have been hospitalized. Of 13 that have been interviewed, 11 said they had eaten cucumbers, the FDA said.
Those states are Alabama, California, Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, North Carolina, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia.
If you have potentially contaminated cucumbers, you should clean and sanitize any surfaces they came in contact with to reduce cross-contamination, the FDA advises. If you have symptoms of Salmonella exposure after eating potentially tainted cucumbers, you should contact a doctor.
Symptoms include:
- Diarrhea
- Fever
- Abdominal cramps
- Aches
- Headaches
- Lethargy
- Rash
- Blood in urine or stool
Symptoms will develop 12 to 72 hours after infection and will last four to seven days, with people recovering without treatment.
Still, you should contact a doctor if you believe you have been exposed and developed symptoms, since the illness can range in severity, the FDA said.
Typically, children younger than 5 years old, the elderly and people with weakened immune systems are most at risk of a severe infection.