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By Emma Marsden
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Walmart has issued a voluntary recall of its Marketside Fresh Cut Cucumber Slices sold in 34 stores across Texas because of a potential contamination with salmonella.
A company announcement published on the Food and Drug Administration's website said the recall was initiated because the product may contain recalled whole cucumbers supplied by SunFed Produce LLC of Rio Rico, Arizona, which initiated its own recall after the FDA notified SunFed that its cucumbers were associated with reported salmonellosis between October 12 and November 15.
This is the latest in a series of cucumber recalls across multiple states. Cucumbers sold in 26 U.S. states and five Canadian provinces have been recalled following reports of illnesses caused by salmonella contamination.
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In a statement emailed to Newsweek on Friday, Walmart said: "The health and safety of our customers is always a top priority. At this time, there have been no reported illnesses associated with the recall of our Marketside Fresh Cut Cucumber Slices.
"We have placed a sales restriction on the product, which has also been removed from the select, impacted stores."
On Thanksgiving Day, the FDA warned customers that they "should not consume" or otherwise use SunFed-brand American cucumbers that were recalled the previous day.
The cucumbers were sold in bulk cardboard containers that included a SunFed label and in generic white boxes and black plastic crates that included a sticker with the text "Agrotato, S.A. de C.V.," the name of the grower.
Craig Slate, the president of SunFed, said in the company's recall announcement: "As soon as we learned of this issue, we immediately acted to protect consumers. We are working closely with authorities and the implicated ranch to determine the possible cause.
"Here at SunFed, food safety and consumer health and wellness have been our priorities for more than 30 years. We require all of our growers to strictly comply with the FDA food safety requirements."
The salmonella outbreak has left at least 18 people in the hospital. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 68 people across 19 U.S. states have been infected in the outbreak and no deaths have been reported.
The outbreak has been traced to a batch of contaminated cucumbers grown by Agrotato, S.A. de C.V. in Sonora, Mexico.
SunFed, which sold cucumbers grown by the company, has recalled all sizes of its cucumber products from stores across 26 states.
Salmonella can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections, particularly in young children, elderly people and those with weakened immune systems.
Symptoms typically include fever, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain. In rare cases, the infection can spread to the bloodstream and cause severe complications.
"In rare circumstances, infection with salmonella can result in the organism entering the bloodstream and producing more severe illnesses such as arterial infections (i.e., infected aneurysms), endocarditis and arthritis," the Walmart notice published on the FDA's website said.
Symptoms of salmonellosis usually begin six hours to six days after infection and last four to seven days.
Anyone experiencing symptoms of salmonella infection after consuming the product should seek medical attention.
The CDC estimates that about 1.35 million illnesses and 420 deaths occur annually in the United States because of non-typhoidal salmonella.
The Walmart notice said: "Anyone with the recalled product in their possession should not consume, serve, use, sell, or distribute the recalled product. We also encourage them to clean and sanitize surfaces that could have come into contact with the recalled product to reduce cross-contamination."
Consumers with questions and those unsure whether they purchased the recalled product are advised to visit https://www.walmart.com/help or contact Walmart's Customer Care Team at 1-800-925-6278.
The affected cucumber slices were sold in clear plastic containers labeled "Marketside Fresh Cut Cucumber Slices," with date codes up to December 1, 2024, and a universal product code or price look-up code of 62969.
Customers who purchased this product are urged to dispose of it immediately or return it to the store for a full refund.
The cucumber slices, produced in select stores, were available at 34 Walmart outlets in Texas, the company said.
Product Recall Details
12/06/24, 3:30 p.m. ET. This article was updated with comment from Walmart.
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