A produce company is recalling cucumbers it shipped to 14 states due to potential salmonella contamination.
In a notice posted to the Food and Drug Administration's website Friday, Fresh Start Produce Sales Inc. of Delray, Florida, said it was initiating the recall after the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture's testing on a sample came back positive for salmonella bacteria.
The FDA is now conducting whole genome sequencing to determine if the sample is related to an ongoing salmonella outbreak investigation, the notice said.
Bulk cartons of the whole cucumbers were sent to retail distribution centers, wholesalers and food service distributors from May 17 to May 21, so it's "unlikely" they're in the "marketplace," the FDA said. However, consumers in the 14 affected states are advised to check with their retailer to determine whether the recalled cucumbers were sold where they shop.
The states that received the cucumber cartons are Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Maryland, North Carolina, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia.
Salmonella is a bacteria that can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in infants, elderly people or those with weakened immune systems. Most people with the infection recover within four to seven days without antibiotics, the CDC says, and during that time, many will have diarrhea, fever, vomiting and stomach cramps.
In rare occurrences, a salmonella infection can get into the bloodstream and cause arterial infections, endocarditis, arthritis and other severe disease, per the FDA. Of the 1.35 million cases each year, salmonella causes 420 deaths and 26,500 hospitalizations.