The nationwide Salmonella outbreak linked to imported Andrew & Williamson cucumbers is not the first illness outbreak linked to produce imported by that company. In 1997, a hepatitis A outbreak that sickened 260 faculty members and students in four different school districts in Calhoun county, Michigan was linked to strawberries sold by A&W. One student needed a liver transplant after this outbreak. A report that was part of a TED talk at American University states that strawberries served in school lunches "were traced to a processing plant in San Diego, known as Andrew and Williamson." The company shipped strawberries from the same lot to schools in five other states, including Arizona, southern California, Georgia, Iowa, and Tennessee. As a result, the CDC and local … [Read more...]
California Hardest Hit by Deadly Cucumber Salmonella Outbreak
California has been hardest hit by the Salmonella Poona outbreak linked to cucumbers imported by Andrew & Williamson Fresh Produce. At least 120 people are sick in that state, and one person has died. Andrew & Williamson is based in San Diego, California. That state originally warned consumers about the outbreak on September 4, 2015, the day that Andrew & Williamson recalled the product. Government officials informed the company that there was an epidemiologic association between the cucumbers and the outbreak. The San Diego County Health and Human Services Agency found one of the outbreak strains on cucumbers that were collected from the Andrew & Williams facility. Overall, at least 558 people in 33 states are sick in this outbreak. Using the multiplier for … [Read more...]
Minnesota Hit Hard in Cucumber Salmonella Outbreak
With at least 29 people sick, Minnesota has been hit hard in the Salmonella Poona outbreak linked to imported cucumbers. In fact, the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) was one of the first departments to recognize this outbreak and to help pinpoint the source. Some of the people sickened in Minnesota were part of an outbreak cluster linked to salads served at Red Lobster restaurants. Red Lobster pulled cucumbers from all of its restaurants on September 4, 2015. The cases in Minnesota range in age from 8 to 79 years and live in nine metro and greater Minnesota counties. At least six people were hospitalized, based on the latest information from MDH. Epidemiological and traceback investigations found that slicer, or "American" cucumbers imported and distributed by Andrew & … [Read more...]
Arizona Woman is Third Death in Cucumber Salmonella Outbreak
An Arizona woman from Pima County is the third person to die in the 31-state cucumber Salmonella outbreak. The outbreak, which has sickened 418 people and killed two others, includes 85 cases in Arizona - thirteen more than the CDC reported three days ago. Sixteen of those cases are in Pima County. Most of the Pima County cases are in older adults and children. Four are adults over 55, nine are children younger than 12. Six Pima County cases have required hospitalization and now, one of them has died. The woman "had serious underlying health conditions and died while being treated for her illness in an area hospital," the health department said. “This circumstance is a saddening reminder that illnesses that often don’t cause a high level of harm to most people can have a devastating … [Read more...]
Three Salmonella Outbreaks: 642 Sick Across U.S.
There are currently three ongoing Salmonella outbreaks across the country, with at least 642 sick. Two people have died, and dozens have been hospitalized because of their illness. There are 45 people sick in the Salmonella outbreak linked to Chipotle restaurants in Minnesota. Four hundred eighteen people are sick with Salmonella linked to slicer cucumbers imported from Mexico. And as many as 160 people are sick in the outbreak at the Fig & Olive restaurant in Washington, D.C. Using the standard multiplier for Salmonella outbreaks, 30.3, which means that for every case reported there are 30 that go unreported, that means there may be more than 16,000 Americans sickened with Salmonella just this summer in the U.S. in these three clusters. What is going on? Nationwide, … [Read more...]
More Cucumbers Recalled for Salmonella in Canada
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency and the Overwaitea Food Group are recalling more cucumbers for possible Salmonella contamination. There is no outbreak in Canada, but there is a large multi-state outbreak in the U.S. linked to cucumbers imported from Mexico that has sickened almost 300 people. Strangely, there is more information about where the cucumbers were sold from Canadian food agencies than there is from the FDA. This recall is for fresh field cucumbers, sold in bulk bins, unwrapped, with PLU number 4062. They were sold from Save On Foods, PriceSmart Foods, Coopers Foods, Overwaitea, and Freson Brothers on or before September 4, 2015. The cucumbers were sold in Alberta and British Columbia. If you purchased these cucumbers, do not eat them. Discard in a sealed or double … [Read more...]
A&W Issues Formal Recall of Cucumbers for Salmonella
Andrew & Williamson Fresh Produce has issued a formal voluntary recall of their Limited Edition® brand imported pole grown cucumbers as a result of a large multi-state Salmonella outbreak. The recall is dated September 4, 2015, and the FDA dated the notice September 5, 2015, but the public was only notified about the formal recall posted on the FDA's site today, September 8, 2015. At least 285 (or 291, according to Arizona's case count) people in 27 states are sick with Salmonella food poisoning after eating these cucumbers. The recall is for all of A&W Fresh Produce sold from August 1, 2015 through September 3, 2015. A&W is cooperating fully with public health officials to solve this outbreak. The outbreak has been going on since July 3, 2015. That is when the first … [Read more...]
Why Are Children so Sick in the Cucumber Salmonella Outbreak?
Children comprise 54% of the patients in the nationwide Salmonella outbreak linked to imported cucumbers. That means at least 157 kids are sick in 27 states across the country. Why are children more susceptible to these infections? Children are more susceptible because their immune systems are developing and haven't reached maturity. When bacteria enter your body, your immune system responds and tries to kill the invaders. Proteins called antibodies mark the bacterial cells, then T cells destroy the bacteria with a process called phagocytosis. This process becomes stronger and more efficient as you age, then it starts to decrease in the elderly. Children under the age of 5 are especially susceptible to bacterial infections, particularly E. coli and Salmonella infections. They will … [Read more...]
Safeway Cucumbers Recalled for Salmonella in Canada
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) and Safeway are recalling field cucumbers and in-store produced foods that contain cucumbers that were imported from Mexico. Safeway is a customer of Andrew & Williamson Fresh Produce of San Diego, California that is recalling cucumbers linked to a large Salmonella outbreak in the U.S. While there are no reports of Salmonella infections in Canada, there is a large outbreak in the U.S. At least 285 people in 27 states are sick with Salmonella linked to these cucumbers. The Canadian recall applies to fresh field cucumbers sold in bulk, unwrapped and various in-store produced products that contain cucumbers, such as Greek salad, vegetable trays, sushi, and sandwiches purchased from Safeway on or before September 6, 2015. If you aren't sure … [Read more...]
Law Firm Files First Salmonella Red Lobster Lawsuit
The first lawsuit has been filed against Red Lobster and A&W Fresh Produce on behalf of a client sickened with Salmonella food poisoning after eating cucumbers distributed by A&W at that restaurant. The recalled cucumbers were imported from Mexico and distributed by Andrew & Williams Fresh Produce of California. This may become part of a class action lawsuit. The client is part of a large multistate outbreak of people sickened with Salmonella infections after eating slicer, or American cucumbers grown and by Rancho Don Juanito in Mexico. At least 285 people (perhaps 291, if case counts by state are more accurate) are sick in 27 states. The minor client ate at a Red Lobster restaurant in Minnesota in early August. Two days later, which is right in the window of the … [Read more...]
