One woman has died and many others are ill due to cucumbers that tested positive for a potentially deadly bacteria. Andrew and Williamson Fresh Produce announced Friday a voluntary recall of cucumbers linked to a Salmonella Poona outbreak. The cucumbers were imported from Mexico and sold under the "Limited Edition Pole Grown Cucumbers" label from Aug. 1 to Sept. 3 of this year, according to a statement from the distributor.
"The safety and welfare of consumers is the highest priority for our company," Andrew and Williamson Fresh Produce said in the statement. "We are taking all precautions possible to prevent further consumption of this product and are working to learn if and how these cucumbers are involved in the ongoing outbreak."
The outbreak affected 285 people from 27 states: California, Arkansas, Idaho, Arizona, New Jersey, Colorado, New Mexico, Florida, Kentucky, Alaska, Louisiana, Mississippi, Utah, Minnesota, Illinois, Nevada, Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Oregon, South Carolina and Montana. Of those infected with Salmonella, 53 people have been hospitalized, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Interviews conducted among 80 infected patients showed that 58 of them ate cucumbers one week before they got sick. Examination of the cucumbers, which were "slicer" or "American" type cucumbers, from the Andrew and Williamson Fresh Produce's facility, revealed Salmonella in the product.
Consumers who have bought this product should not eat them, and if they are uncertain if what they bought was the recalled product or not, the company suggests the consumer throw it away for safety. Eating Salmonella contaminated products may result in diarrhea, abdominal cramps and fever, the CDC advised consumers and retailers.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced in a press release that it is coordinating with the CDC and state health departments in the ongoing investigation of the multi-state Salmonella outbreak.
