A Bunch of Cucumbers Have Been Recalled Amid a Widespread Salmonella Outbreak

Sold at stores including Walmart and Costco, the cukes have been linked to 68 illnesses so far.

December 3, 2024

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With Thanksgiving in the books, you’re probably back to your regular ol’ meals. But if any of your salads and sides contain cucumbers in some way, shape, or form, it might be best to take a better-safe-than-sorry approach and toss ’em. That’s because a bunch of cukes were just recalled due to potential Salmonella contamination—and may be responsible for a host of illnesses across the country, according to the FDA.

On November 27, Arizona-based importer SunFed Produce, LLC voluntarily recalled all sizes of whole fresh American/slicer cucumbers due to this issue, according to the FDA. Two more importers soon followed: Baloian Farms of Arizona Co., Inc. on November 29, and Russ Davis Wholesale on December 1, the FDA said. In addition to the whole cucumbers themselves, Russ Davis also recalled multiple products containing them, including wraps and garden salads. In all three cases, the affected cukes were sourced from the same grower: Agrotato, S.A. de C.V. of Sonora, Mexico, the FDA said.

The cukes were sold by importers from October 12, 2024 through November 26, 2024. (However, the FDA noted that they may have been available for purchase after that date.) Affected cucumbers may have been sold in bulk bins or displays, bear a sticker reading “SunFed Mexico,” or be packaged in sets of six in a clear PamPak-brand bag, according to the FDA. You can find pictures of the products and labels here. Retail stores that sold the cukes include big names like Walmart and Costco.

Among the three recalls, the cucumbers and cucumber products were distributed to the following 35 states, as well as the Canadian provinces of Alberta, British Columbia, Calgary, Saskatchewan, and Ontario, according to the FDA: Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.

However, the FDA noted the cucumbers may also have reached other states. Currently, the agency is working to determine if additional recalls are necessary. “We are working closely with authorities and the implicated ranch to determine the possible cause,” SunFed president Craig Slate said in a statement published by the FDA.

On November 29, the CDC also issued a food safety alert linking a multistate Salmonella outbreak (concerning the specific strain Salmonella Typhimurium) to the recalled cucumbers. As of November 26, there have been 68 infections reported across the following 19 states, according to the CDC: Alaska, California, Colorado, Iowa, Illinois, Massachusetts, Montana, Nebraska, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.

Of 33 people interviewed so far as part of the outbreak investigation, 27 (82%) reported eating cucumbers, according to the FDA. Per a CDC case-count map, Montana has the most cases (16), and Texas, Washington, South Dakota, and Massachusetts have an additional four to six each. So far, at least 18 cases have required hospitalization, the FDA said. No deaths have been reported.

Salmonella bacteria are a leading cause of foodborne illness in the US and can cause symptoms like stomach cramps, diarrhea, fever, headache, vomiting, nausea, and loss of appetite, according to the CDC. While certain groups are especially vulnerable to Salmonella infection (including children under five years old, adults over 65 years old, and immunocompromised folks, according to the CDC), anyone can get sick, so it’s important to take the potential for infection seriously regardless of who you are.

For starters, check your fridge and freezer for cucumbers and cucumber products that may be included in the recall. If you find any of the recalled products lurking, throw them away and thoroughly clean and sanitize any surfaces they may have touched. Because let’s be honest—no tasty lunch is worth a nasty bout of food poisoning.