Vegetable platter recall in 7 states as FDA sets highest risk level

Vegetable platters have been recalled in seven states over fears of possible contamination with salmonella.

Why It Matters

The products have been given a Class I categorization by the Food and Drug Administration, the agency's most serious type of recall.

A Class I recall is issued when there is "reasonable probability" that the use of, or exposure to, the product will cause serious adverse health consequences or death, according to the FDA.

What To Know

Four vegetable platter products are being recalled in Arizona, Colorado, Louisiana, New Mexico, Texas, Utah, and Wyoming.

They include:

The products are being recalled over concerns that platters and trays prepared in Kroger stores may contain cut cucumbers that were previously recalled due to potential contamination with salmonella.

Salmonella is a bacteria that can make people ill. Most people develop symptoms within 12 to 72 hours of eating contaminated food, and these symptoms may consist of diarrhea, fever, abdominal pains and vomiting, which usually pass within a week.

However, among certain groups—young children, elderly adults and people with weakened immune systems—the infection may spread and become serious or even fatal.

The Kroger Co. initiated the recall voluntarily. Newsweek has contacted the company via email for comment.

The products were packaged in plastic containers with plastic lids. Overall, 1,519 packages of the products are being recalled.

Customers who bought the vegetable platters are urged not to consume them and to discard them, regardless of their use-by date.

The voluntary recall was initiated on October 29 and the FDA issued its classification on January 10.

The Kroger Co. is not the only company that has had to recall products over fears that cucumbers may be contaminated with salmonella.

Russ Davis Wholesale announced a recall of various salads and wraps on December 1, sold under brand names Crazy Fresh, Quick & Easy and Kowalski's Markets, that used cucumbers supplied by Baloian Farms. Two days later, Walmart announced a recall of sliced cucumber sold in 34 of its Texas stores, as their cucumbers had been supplied by SunFed. On December 5, Hardie's Fresh Foods announced a recall of cucumbers supplied by SunFed and sold by Dairyland Produce LLC to Costco locations in Texas, Newsweek previously reported.

Meanwhile, several companies have assisted in the recall of cucumber-based products sold in Kroger stores. Supreme Service Solutions LLC recalled salads, vegetable trays and cucumber snack cups sold in Kroger and King Soopers retail stores in Texas and Colorado. And Yummi Sushi announced a recall of a long list of sushi products sold in Kroger stores in Texas.

It started when salmonella was found to have contaminated American cucumbers grown by Agrotato, S.A. de C.V. in Sonora, Mexico, which were sold in the U.S. from October 12.

The salmonella outbreak in recalled cucumbers has been linked to at least 100 illnesses in the U.S., including 25 people who were hospitalized, CBS News reported in December.

What People Are Saying

An FDA official previously told Newsweek: "The U.S. food supply remains one of the safest in the world. The occurrence of recalls and outbreaks means that manufacturers, importers and distributors are monitoring for issues and taking action when they detect a problem. Consumers should know that recalls and outbreaks indicate that the problem has been identified and is being addressed."

What Happens Next

The recall is currently ongoing. Consumers with questions about the recall can contact their local FDA complaint coordinator.