September 08, 2015 State Health Department Assists in Recall of Cucumbers Due to Multi-State Salmonella Outbreak

Baton Rouge, La. , Sep 08, 2015 - The Louisiana Department of Health (DHH) is assisting the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in a recall of imported cucumbers that were distributed by Andrew & Williamson Fresh Produce. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has identified these cucumbers as the source of a multi-state Salmonella Poona outbreak. Since the start of the outbreak, three cases in Louisiana may have been linked to the contaminated cucumbers; throughout the U.S., there have been a total of 282 other cases, including one death. The three cases in Louisiana were located in LDH regions 2, 7 and 8. A map of LDH regions can be found here: http://dhh.louisiana.gov/assets/docs/OrgCharts/DHH_RgnlDistrictAthryMap.pdf.

LDH received notification of the possible outbreak late Friday night and began calling identified national companies with locations in Louisiana that may have sold or used the cucumbers. LDH officials confirmed that Red Lobster locations in Louisiana disposed of the product Friday.

Health officials advise that the risk of becoming ill after eating a cucumber from Andrew & Williamson Fresh Produce is low, however LDH recommends families take simple precautions to protect themselves.

Recalled cucumbers may be in consumers' homes, restaurants, and grocery stores.

• Consumers should not eat recalled cucumbers.
• Restaurants should not serve recalled cucumbers.
• Retailers should not sell recalled cucumbers.
• If you aren't sure if your cucumbers were recalled, ask the place of purchase or your supplier. When in doubt, don't eat, sell, or serve them and throw them out.

Recalled cucumbers may make people sick.

• Contact your health care provider if you think you may have become ill from eating recalled cucumbers.
• Most people infected withSalmonelladevelop the following signs and symptoms 12 to 72 hours after being exposed to the bacteria:

◦       diarrhea,

◦       fever and

◦       abdominal cramps.

A timeline of the outbreak and additional information from the CDC is available here: http://www.cdc.gov/salmonella/poona-09-15/index.html. 

The Louisiana Department of Health strives to protect and promote health statewide and to ensure access to medical, preventive and rehabilitative services for all of the state's residents. To learn more about LDH, visit www.dhh.louisiana.gov. For up-to-date health information, news and emergency updates, follow DHH's Twitter  and Facebook.

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