Cucumbers are recalled after salmonella sickens people in 19 states

At least 68 people, including 18 who needed to be treated at hospitals, have fallen ill across 19 states in a salmonella outbreak that may be linked to cucumbers, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Friday.

Federal officials announced they were investigating the outbreak believed to be tied to cucumbers grown by Agrotato, S.A. de C.V. in Sonora, Mexico, and sold by SunFed Produce, which is based in Arizona, and other importers. No deaths have been reported.

The CDC said it was working with public health and regulatory officials in several states, including the Food and Drug Administration, to investigate the infections.

The cucumbers were sold in the United States and Canada, according to the FDA.

SunFed recalled all sizes of the product described as “whole fresh American cucumbers.”

Craig Slate, president of SunFed, said in a statement that the company “immediately acted to protect consumers.”

“We are working closely with authorities and the implicated ranch to determine the possible cause,” he said.

The recalled cucumbers were sold in more than half the states between Oct. 12 and Nov. 26, according to SunFed, and they were shipped to the following states: Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin and Wyoming.

The agency advised consumers to look for a sticker that shows “SunFed Mexico” as the place where the cucumbers were grown and to throw away or return any recalled cucumbers.

The CDC also advised consumers to throw out any cucumbers bought between Oct. 12 and Nov. 26 if they do not know where they were grown.

Produce can be contaminated by pathogens that occur naturally in soil, or by water used for irrigation, which can be tainted with the feces of animals in nearby farms.

Produce can also be contaminated by workers or unclean surfaces or equipment in processing centers, or in distribution trucks. The germs can linger on fresh produce even after it has been carefully washed, but thoroughly rinsing it can reduce exposure to microorganisms.

This article originally appeared in The New York Times.

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