The Food and Drug Administration and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention say the agencies initiated a multistate outbreak of Salmonella Africana infections potentially linked to cucumbers.
The CDC said as of June 4, 162 people have been reportedly infected with the outbreak strain in 25 states and the District of Columbia. The agencies said they are also investigating an outbreak of Salmonella Braenderup infections, with 158 illnesses in 23 states.
These two outbreaks share several similarities, including the location and timing of the illness and the demographics of the people who fell ill, according to the FDA and CDC. The agencies said the investigation will look to see if it can link the two outbreaks to the same food vehicle.
The FDA said as part of its Salmonella Africana investigation, the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture collected samples from retail locations. One sample supplied by Fresh Start Produce Sales of Delray, Fla., tested positive for salmonella. The agency said it will conduct additional testing to learn the strain of salmonella and if the strain is linked to the current outbreak.
In response to the positive sample, Fresh Start Produce Sales recalled its cucumbers grown in Florida and distributed to retail distribution centers, wholesalers and foodservice distributors in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Maryland, North Carolina, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia from May 17 to May 21.
The FDA said the product is dark green and approximately 1.5-2 inches in diameter and between 5-9 inches long. The agency said the company sources its cucumbers from a variety of growers, but the grower that likely supplied the potentially contaminated cucumbers is no longer harvesting and growing cucumbers for the season.
Fresh Start Produce Sales’ English and mini cucumbers are not involved in the recall.