CDC: Salmonella outbreak linked to cucumbers recalled from Georgia, 54 hospitalized
What's green isn't always good for you?
Fresh Start Produce Sales, a Florida-based company, recently issued a recall for cucumbers after the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture reported a sample tested positive for Salmonella. According to the FDA, the recall is effective in Georgia as well as Alabama, Florida, Illinois, Maryland, North Carolina, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia.
A current outbreak of Salmonella has left 162 people sick and 54 hospitalizations, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Eight of the sick people are Georgians. According to the CDC, Salmonella was found in a sample of the cucumbers. Further testing is underway to see if it is the same strain as the one making people sick. Investigators are also working to collect more information to see if other cucumbers are affected.
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Fresh Start issued a letter to consumers on Wednesday, clarifying that the cucumbers for sale in stores are not part of the recall as those recalled are now well beyond their natural 10- to 12-day shelf life. In addition, the company notified its direct customers of this recall more than a week ago and asked that they remove the cucumbers from the marketplace.
The recalled cucumbers are whole, dark green, about 1.5 to 2 inches in diameter, and 5 to 9 inches long. They were sourced from a single Florida farm that is no longer growing, harvesting, or shipping cucumbers. Mini cucumbers and English cucumbers have not been recalled.
"We buy only from reputable growers who meet federal and industry food safety guidelines," said Fresh Start Produce Sales Management in its letter. "We do not yet know what caused the contamination of the cucumber samples tested by Pennsylvania officials, but we are determined to learn from the investigation and its conclusions."
Salmonella infections can come from a variety of sources from improper cleaning of the produce to contact with certain animals. According to the CDC, people infected with the bacteria normally have diarrhea, fever, and stomach cramps. Symptoms usually start six hours to six days after infection and last four to seven days. Most people recover without specific treatment; antibiotics are typically only used to treat people who have severe illness or who are at risk for it.
The CDC is also currently investigating two other Salmonella outbreaks: One for backyard poultry and another for fresh basil, both included sick people from Georgia. Between the two, 121 have been made sick and 34 hospitalized.
Although the recalled cucumbers are unlikely in the marketplace, anyone with these cucumbers should destroy and discard them or return them to wherever they were bought. Those who are concerned should check with their retailers or place of purchase to determine whether or not they sold the recalled cucumbers.
For more information, call Fresh Start at 1-888-364-2993 from Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
This article originally appeared on Augusta Chronicle: Fresh Start Produce Sales recalls cucumbers in Georgia for Salmonella
