SunFed cucumbers sold in U.S. and Canada recalled due to ...

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Health

Canadian officials say SunFed Produce brand whole, fresh, American cucumbers have been recalled due to potential salmonella contamination. The cucumbers were sold in several Canadian provinces in October and November.

Cucumber recall - Figure 1
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Recalled products were sold in several U.S. states and Canadian provinces between Oct. 12 and Nov. 26

Amina Zafar · CBC News

· Posted: Nov 29, 2024 11:19 AM EST | Last Updated: 1 minute ago

SunFed Produce has recalled whole, fresh, American cucumbers sold in the U.S. and Canada between Oct. 12 and Nov. 26. (FDA)

Canadian officials say SunFed Produce brand whole, fresh, American cucumbers have been recalled due to potential salmonella contamination.

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) said Thursday SunFed is recalling all sizes of the cucumbers packaged in bulk cardboard containers with the SunFed label or in a generic white box or black plastic crate that has a sticker with the grower's name, Agrotato, S.A. de C.V. in Sonora, Mexico.

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Photo CBC.ca

The recalled cucumbers were sold in Canada and the U.S. between Oct. 12 thru Nov. 26.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said the affected products sold by SunFed and other importers were shipped to customers located in 26 U.S. states as well as Alberta, British Columbia, Calgary, Saskatchewan and Ontario.

Cucumbers would have reached consumers through food service and retail outlets that may be located in places other than those listed, the FDA said. 

The recall happened after the FDA informed SunFed that there were associated illnesses reported between Oct. 12 and Nov. 15.

On Friday, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said 68 people infected with this outbreak strain of salmonella have been reported in 19 states. Of these, 18 people have been hospitalized. No one has died.

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Photo CBC.ca

The individual cucumbers may also be packaged with this sticker, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration says. (FDA)

The CFIA said it is conducting a food safety investigation, which may lead to a food recall warning being issued, when required, for these products in Canada.

The agency encouraged consumers to sign up for its food recall notifications.

WATCH | What the data says about food safety in Canada: 

Are food recalls in Canada becoming more common?

A string of product recalls, including some involving E. coli, Listeria and salmonella, has sparked concerns about food safety. Lawrence Goodridge, director of the Canadian Research Institute for Food Safety at the University of Guelph, says the data doesn’t indicate an increase in recalls but adds the pandemic did cause some disruptions in food safety.

U.S. officials advised consumers to:

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Photo CBC.ca
Check to see if you have the recalled cucumbers. Recalled products should not be consumed, served, used, sold or distributed. Cleaning and sanitizing surfaces that could have come into contact with the recalled product to reduce cross-contamination is encouraged. Recalled products should be thrown out or destroyed so they may not be consumed or returned to the point of purchase. Consumers who are unsure if they have purchased the recalled cucumbers should contact their retailer. If you think you have consumed a recalled product and do not feel well, contact your health care provider.

The FDA has more photos of the cucumber packaging on its site. 

"As soon as we learned of this issue, we immediately acted to protect consumers," Craig Slate, president at SunFed, said in a release. "We are working closely with authorities and the implicated ranch to determine the possible cause."

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Photo CBC.ca

Symptoms of salmonella illness usually start within six to 72 hours after exposure and may include a sudden onset of headache, fever, abdominal pain, diarrhea, nausea and vomiting.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Amina Zafar covers medical sciences and health care for CBC. She contributes to CBC Health's Second Opinion, which won silver for best editorial newsletter at the 2024 Digital Publishing Awards. She holds an undergraduate degree in environmental science and a master's in journalism.

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