North Carolina Cucumbers Recalled Due to Salmonella

Cucumbers Recalled Due to Salmonella
A North Carolina company is recalling cucumbers that may be contaminated
with Salmonella.
In a news release Friday, L&M Companies, Inc. of Raleigh, NC, said that on
April 13 the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) informed the company that
Salmonella had been found on a randomly selected sample of cucumbers in a
cooler at Four Seasons Produce of Central Florida, Inc.
As a result, the company said it is voluntarily recalling one lot (1,590
cartons)
of whole cucumbers.
The cucumbers were distributed by L&M Companies between March 30 and
April 7 to wholesalers in New York (200 cartons), Florida (591 cartons),
Illinois
(139 cartons), Indiana (30 cartons) and Tennessee (15 cartons), and one
retailer with distribution centers in Mississippi (420 cartons), Nebraska
(92
cartons), Texas (2 cartons) and Wyoming (101 cartons).
However, because those wholesale customers could have redistributed the
cucumbers to additional states, L&M Companies said this is a nationwide
recall.
The recalled lot of bulk cucumbers was harvested in South Florida on March
29. According to USDA's Quick Reference for Market Inspectors, cucumbers
typically maintain an edible quality for 10-14 days after harvest. L&M
Companies said customers who may still have the recalled product should
remove it and destroy it immediately.
The recalled bulk cartons are marked Nature's Delight and contain the Lot #
PL-RID-002990 on the side of the carton. Only this one lot is being
recalled.
No illnesses have been reported in association with the recalled cucumbers.
Consumers who think they may have the recalled cucumbers should not
consume them and should contact the place of purchase to determine if their
cucumber is included in this recall.
Consumers or customers with questions may call L&M Companies at 919-981-
8003, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Eastern Standard Time. Over
the April 22-24 holiday weekend, messages left at this number will be
retrieved
and calls will be returned.
"L&M Companies takes food safety seriously, and we are committed to the
customers and consumers who buy our products every day. Our farms are
third-party, food safety certified, and they follow good agriculture
practices."
said Lee Anne Oxford, company representative, in the news release. "Even
though the recalled lot was only directly distributed to a handful of
states, we
are issuing this nationwide, voluntary recall to reduce even the slightest
risk
to public health."
Food Safety News News Desk | Apr 23, 2011
All the best
Gene

Gene McAvoy
County Extension Director
Regional Vegetable Agent IV
UF/IFAS Hendry County Extension
PO Box 68
LaBelle, Florida 33935
863-674-4092 office
863-673-5939 cell
gmcavoy@ifas.ufl.edu

Kline