cucumber
(Photo : Pixabay / Renee_Olmsted_Photography)

Amidst looming possibilities of salmonella contamination, fresh cucumbers available in 14 states have been recalled.

This recall was made by Fresh Start Produce, which is a Florida-based company that shipped the produce from May 17 through May 21.

Fresh Cucumbers Recalled

The produce was sent to wholesalers, retail distribution centers, and food service distributors across Florida, Alabama, Illinois, Georgia, North Carolina, Maryland, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Tennessee, South Carolina, West Virginia, and Virginia. The recall did not include English cucumbers and mini cucumbers.

This recall follows the positive testing of salmonella that was discovered by the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture. The US Food and Drug Administration conducts further testing in order to examine if it could be associated with a current outbreak investigation.

The company alerted its customers that received the cucumbers from the company directly. They also requested to inform their own customers regarding the recall.

They also encourage their customers to check the place of purchase in order to see if the cucumbers that were recalled were sold in the shop.

The products that were bought need to be discarded or brought back to the store.

The cucumbers have a diameter of roughly 1.5 to 2 inches and a length of 5 to 9 inches.

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Salmonella Infection

Salmonella is a common bacterial food poisoning that can be found in the US. Infection symptoms of salmonellosis may include fever, diarrhea, and stomach cramps.

Symptoms usually surface six hours to six days post-infection. They could go on for four to seven days. However, there are also cases where some people do not get symptoms for several weeks post-infection and where others may have symptoms for many weeks.

The infection is typically caused by eating undercooked or raw meat, eggs, poultry, or egg products or by consuming unpasteurized milk.

There are also instances where salmonella strains could lead to infection in the blood, urine, joints, bones, or nervous system. It could also lead to severe disease.

Some salmonella bacteria varieties could also lead to typhoid fever.

The infection is typically diagnosed through lab tests that pick up the bacteria in the stool, fluids, or body tissue of a person.

In most cases, people end up recovering from the infection within a span of four to seven days without the use of antibiotics. People who have the infection must take in more fluids as long as the diarrhea persists.

It is recommended to undergo antibiotic treatment in cases of severe illness, weakened immune system, adults over 50 who have medical issues, adults who are at least 65 years old, and infants.

In most cases, individuals who get infected with the bacteria completely recover, though it may take a few months for the bowel habits of some people to return to normal.

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