The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced Thursday that a salmonella outbreak linked to contaminated cucumbers has expanded to 100 confirmed cases across 23 states, up from 68 cases reported in early December. Of the 90 patients with available information, 25 have required hospitalization, though no deaths have been reported.
Federal health officials have traced the outbreak to cucumbers grown by Agrotato, S.A. de C.V. in Sonora, Mexico, including those distributed by SunFed Produce LLC. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) began investigating the outbreak in late November.
"Epidemiologic and traceback information shows that cucumbers grown by Agrotato, S.A. de C.V. in Sonora, Mexico, including recalled cucumbers from SunFed Produce LLC, may be contaminated with salmonella and may be making people sick," the CDC stated in its November 29 announcement.
Recall Details and Distribution
SunFed Produce LLC issued a recall notice on November 27 for whole fresh cucumbers sold between October 12 and November 26. The affected products were distributed in bulk cardboard boxes with the SunFed label, or in generic white boxes or black plastic crates with stickers identifying the grower.
"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 SunFed President Craig Slate in the recall announcement. "We require all of our growers to strictly comply with the FDA food safety requirements."
The recalled cucumbers were distributed across 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. The products were also sold in parts of Canada, including Alberta, British Columbia, Calgary, Ontario, and Saskatchewan.
Public Health Implications
This outbreak follows another significant salmonella incident earlier this year, when at least 551 people were sickened and 155 hospitalized in south Florida after consuming contaminated produce.
According to the CDC, salmonella causes approximately 1.35 million infections annually in the United States. While most healthy individuals experience fever, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain, the infection can be particularly dangerous for young children, elderly individuals, and those with compromised immune systems.
In rare cases, salmonella infection can lead to more severe complications, including arterial infections (infected aneurysms), endocarditis (heart inflammation), and arthritis. Symptoms typically develop between six hours and six days after exposure and can persist for four to seven days.
Consumer Guidance
Health officials advise consumers to check whether their cucumbers match the recalled products and to avoid consuming any suspicious produce. Retailers and distributors have been instructed to remove the affected cucumbers from their inventory and supply chains.
The FDA and CDC continue to investigate the outbreak to identify additional cases and prevent further spread of the infection. Consumers who believe they may have consumed contaminated cucumbers and are experiencing symptoms should contact their healthcare provider.
This incident underscores the ongoing challenges in ensuring the safety of imported produce and the importance of robust surveillance systems to quickly identify and contain foodborne illness outbreaks.
