This is the time of year when everyone starts bringing in their extra fruits and vegetables that they harvested from their own backyard garden. From bags of sweet corn and apples, tomatoes and cucumbers, the fruits of your friends and co-workers labor can be found in just about every breakroom.

But if you always find yourself skipping the offer of the locally grown free food, now is the time to reconsider, especially with cucumbers.

Officials are now confirming that cucumber consumers have been getting sick, and even dying, because of a multi-state outbreak of salmonella from contaminated cucumbers.

In an outbreak that has been confirmed to be bigger than health officials initially thought, reports have confirmed deaths in Texas and California, and people in as many as 30 different states getting sick from the cucumbers that originate in Mexico and then are distributed by the San Diego based company Andrew & Williamson Fresh Produce.

Since the outbreak has been reported, Andrew & Williamson has voluntarily recalled the “Limited Edition” brand label because it may be contaminated with salmonella.

Also known as "slicer" or "American" cucumbers, the "Limited Edition" brand have been shipped and made consumers ill in Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, New York, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming. The Center for Disease Control also notes that there is a chance the cucumbers have been shipped to other states as well.

Experts say that contamination occurs when the outside of the cucumber comes into contact with fecal matter, usually from contaminated irrigation water or manure. There is a chance however, that the inside of the cucumber could also be contaminated and consumers should be aware that everything the cucumber comes in contact with could spread the contamination.

Source: Yahoo Health

 

 

 

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