Cucumbers Sold In NYC Recalled Due To Salmonella Risk: FDA

NEW YORK CITY - A recall on whole cucumbers shipped to certain states last month - including New York - has been issued due to potential Salmonella contamination, U.S. Food and Drug Administration officials said Friday.

The dark green cucumbers were shipped by Delray, Florida-based Fresh Start Produce Sales Inc. and were transported from May 17 to 21, 2024, directly to retail distribution centers, wholesalers, and food service distributors in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Maryland, North Carolina, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia, the FDA said.

The recall began after the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture informed the company that a product sample tested positive for Salmonella bacteria. The FDA is now investigating if the sample is related to an ongoing Salmonella outbreak probe.

"Unfortunately, the company does not know the consumer points of sale because it does not ship to specific stores or point of purchase locations," a spokesperson for Fresh Start told Patch. "The best way for consumers to be sure of whether they shop at a location that received the cucumbers is to ask their retailer or place of purchase."

The cucumbers are between 5 to 9 inches long and about 1.5 to 2 inches in diameter; mini cucumbers and English cucumbers are not included in the recall, officials added. Consumers should check with their retailer or place of purchase to determine whether the recalled cucumbers were sold where they shop.

Salmonella infection symptoms, including fever, diarrhea and stomach cramps, usually start six hours to six days after swallowing the bacteria. Most people recover within a week without medical treatment, according to the CDC.

"The cucumbers have a 10-12 day shelf life," the Fresh Start spokesperson added. "It has been thirteen days since they were shipped ... so it is unlikely that the cucumbers are available for sale or in consumers’ kitchens. However, if consumers are in doubt, they should not consume the recalled product."

Customers with the recalled products should not consume it and instead destroy it or return it to the place of purchase for a refund.

Fresh Start Produce Sales has notified retailers and requested that they remove it from shelves, the FDA said. Consumers with questions can contact Fresh Start Produce Sales at 1-888-364-2993 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.