Cucumbers shipped to the U.S. and Canada, and organic eggs sold in 25 Costco stores in five southern U.S. states, were recalled this week for potential salmonella contamination. The cucumber outbreak sickened 68 people, including 18 who were hospitalized, in 19 states, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Friday. No one has died. Produce grown in Sonora, Mexico, by Agrotato S.A. may be the culprit, the agency said. A recall announced Thursday by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration was tied to the outbreak. SunFed Produce, based in Arizona, recalled cucumbers sold between Oct. 12 and Nov. 26, the FDA said. The recall happened after SunFed was told by the FDA that there were associated illnesses reported between Oct. 12 and Nov. 15. People who bought cucumbers during the window should check with the store where they purchased them to see if the produce is part of the recall. The egg recall involved nearly 11,000 cartons of 24-count organic eggs sold under Costco's Kirkland Signature brand that landed on shelves in Alabama, North Carolina, Georgia, South Carolina and Tennessee starting Nov. 22, according to the company’s announcement posted Wednesday on the FDA website. No illnesses were immediately reported. Handsome Brook Farms said the cartons included eggs that were “not intended for retail distribution." Shoppers should check to see whether their egg cartons have Julian code 327 printed on the side and have a use-by date of Jan. 5, 2025. If the eggs are included in the recall, throw them out or take them back to the store for a refund. New Mexico man awarded $412 million medical malpractice payout for botched injections Customers who had either of the recalled food products should wash items and surfaces that may have been in contact with the foods using hot, soapy water or a dishwasher. Salmonella can cause symptoms that begin six hours to six days after ingesting the bacteria and include diarrhea, fever and stomach cramps. Most people recover without treatment within a week, but young children, people older than 65 and those with weakened immune systems can become seriously ill. Earlier this summer, a separate salmonella outbreak in cucumbers sickened 450 people in the U.S.  

Eleven countries have reported salmonella food poisoning, linked to Kinder chocolate products produced in Belgium, according to the UN health agency. There have been more than 150 suspected cases of salmonellosis – from Belgium to the US – after UK regulators flagged a cluster of salmonella typhimurium cases a month ago, leading to a global recall, the World Health Organization (WHO) said recently. By April 25, 151 genetically related cases of salmonella typhimurium suspected to be linked to the consumption of the implicated chocolate products were reported from Belgium (26), France (25), Germany (10), Ireland (15), Luxembourg (1), the Netherlands (2), Norway (1 case), Spain (1 case), Sweden (4), the UK (65) and the USA (1). Children under 10 have been most affected – comprising around 89 percent of cases – and available data indicates that nine patients were hospitalised. There have been no fatalities. The risk of spread in the WHO European region and globally is assessed as moderate until the information is available on the full recall of the products, the WHO said. Genetic sequencing of the salmonella bacteria which sparked the food scare showed that the pathogen originated in Belgium. At least 113 countries across Europe and globally have received Kinder products during the period of risk, the UN agency said, adding that salmonella bacteria matching the current human cases of infection were found last December and January, in buttermilk tanks at a factory run by chocolate makers Ferrero, in the Belgian city of Arlon. The factory was ordered to temporarily close earlier this month. The outbreak strain of salmonella is resistant to six types of antibiotics, according to the WHO. Symptoms of salmonellosis are relatively mild and patients will make a recovery without specific treatment, in most cases.  However, the risks are higher for some children and elderly patients where dehydration can become severe and life-threatening. Although there are around 2,500 strains of salmonella bacteria, the majority of human infections are caused by two serotypes – typhimurium and enteritidis. Salmonellosis is characterised by acute fever, abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhoea that can be bloody as in most of the current cases of infection. Symptoms typically begin between six and 72 hours after ingestion of food or water contaminated with salmonella, and sickness can last from two to seven days.  Salmonella bacteria are widely found in domestic and wild animals, such as poultry, pigs, and cattle. Pets are not immune either, and salmonella can pass through the entire food chain from animal feed, primary production, and to households or food-service establishments and institutions. In humans, salmonellosis is generally contracted after eating contaminated food of animal origin – mainly eggs, meat, poultry, and milk. Also read: Chocolate, Candy, Wafer Companies, Brands in Bangladesh: An Overview