Cucumbers behind widespread recall linked to five WA salmonella cases, 1 in Whatcom County

BELLINGHAM — A salmonella outbreak that led to the recall of cucumbers sold in 26 states and five Canadian provinces has been linked to a case in Whatcom County, officials announced Monday, Dec. 3.

The announcement comes after SunFed Produce recalled whole cucumbers last week that were sold between Oct. 12 and Nov. 26 due to possible salmonella contamination. The cucumbers have been linked to 68 cases of salmonella in 19 states, including five in Washington, according to Whatcom County Health and Community Services. The state’s other cases occurred in Skagit, Island, Spokane and Cowlitz counties.

As of the announcement, none of Washington’s cases had resulted in hospitalization. There are typically between 700 and 1,000 cases in Washington each year, according to the Washington State Department of Health.

How to know if you’ve purchased recalled produce

According to SunFed, the recall applies to all fresh whole American cucumbers in bulk cardboard containers labeled with the company name, or in a generic container labeled with a sticker that says “Agrotato, S.A. de C.V.”

You can find photos of the affected containers attached to SunFed’s recall announcement.

If you think you may have purchased contaminated produce, officials recommend throwing it out and thoroughly cleaning any surfaces it may have touched.

Symptoms of salmonella

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the most common salmonella symptoms are stomach cramps, often severe, and diarrhea.

Other symptoms include:

• Headache
• Nausea
• Vomiting and loss of appetite

People typically start experiencing symptoms between one and three days after exposure, according to the WSDOH, and symptoms usually last from four to seven days.

If you’re experiencing symptoms and think you may have consumed cucumbers affected by the recall, contact your healthcare provider.