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 growers name, Agrotato, S.A. de C.V.
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 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.
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.
FDA officials advised consumers to:
- 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.”
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.