(RepublicanJournal.org) – Food producers issue recall notices all the time if an issue crops up that could put consumer safety at risk. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) keeps track of all food items exposed to questionable practices or determined to have come in contact with a contaminant. The latest recall involves whole cucumbers sold in more than a dozen states.
On May 31, Fresh Start Produce Sales, Inc., notified the public of a potential issue with whole cucumbers it shipped to 14 states. The vegetables aren’t sold under a specific brand name but are regular cucumbers measuring 5″ to 9″ long and 1.5″ to 2″ in diameter. They were shipped from Delray, Florida, to wholesalers and distributed to stores in Alabama, Georgia, Florida, Maryland, Illinois, New Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio, New York, South Carolina, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, West Virginia, and Virginia, from May 17 through May 24.
Fresh Produce Sales Inc. issued the recall after Pennsylvania’s Department of Agriculture tested samples and determined they were positive for salmonella. The FDA is currently testing the whole genome sequencing to determine if the contamination is linked to an ongoing outbreak.
Salmonella is a common bacterial disease that impacts the intestinal tract. It typically causes stomach pain, fever, and diarrhea, and can be fatal in those with weakened or compromised immune systems. This includes infants and the elderly, or those undergoing specific types of treatment that suppress the body’s natural healing response.
The FDA published the alert on its website the day after Fresh Produce Sales Inc. alerted the agency to the issue. Due to the short shelf life, the cucumbers are likely no longer available, but consumers who purchased them are advised to toss them out or they can return them to the store of purchase for a refund. Those who have questions can also call the produce company at 1-888-364-2993, Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
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