That cucumber recall? You might want to check your fridge
You are not wrong. The Food and Drug Administration has classified 137 potential salmonella recall reports for food products containing cucumbers in 2025, more than in any other year with available data. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has linked cucumbers to a current salmonella outbreak.
Salmonella bacteria are a major cause of foodborne illness, infecting 1.35 million people and killing 420 people each year.
Since 2012, the Food and Drug Administration has classified over 3,200 salmonella food reports, according to federal data. On average, a salmonella recall lasts nearly a year, a USA TODAY review of the FDA data found. Currently, there are 217 salmonella recall reports ongoing.
You can explore the products here:
The FDA has the authority to mandate a recall, but about 99% are voluntarily issued by the companies that make the products.
After a recall is initiated, the agency classifies the health hazard presented by the product from Class I (a reasonable probability that the product will cause serious adverse health consequences or death) to Class III (the product is not likely to cause adverse health consequences).
About 44% of food recall reports have been classified as Class I. On the other hand, 80% of salmonella food reports are classified as Class I.
Most people get infected with salmonella by eating contaminated food like raw or undercooked meat, poultry, eggs, raw or unpasteurized milk and other dairy products, and produce. According to the CDC, 1 in 25 packages of chicken in the grocery store is contaminated with salmonella.
Department of Human and Health Services Secretary Robert Kennedy Jr. is among the many promoting raw milk, but experts caution against it.
'We have people whose families have had children and parents and others sickened after drinking raw milk,' said Sandra Eskin, CEO at the nonprofit Stop Foodborne Illness. 'It has salmonella in it, it can have E. coli, and it can have any number of pathogens. That's why they invented pasteurization.'
Warmer weather can also create ideal conditions for the bacteria to grow, so it's recommended to refrigerate perishable foods.
Other sources of salmonella include contaminated water and the handling of animals.
Symptoms start within six hours to six days from the time of exposure and include fever, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting and stomach pain. Most people recover within 4 to 7 days without treatment, but some cases lead to hospitalization and death.
Since the start of President Donald Trump's second term, there have been severe cuts and the federal health services workforce is expected to drop from 82,000 to 62,000, USA TODAY previously reported.
Trump argued the cuts are a way to save taxpayers' money, but experts say allocating resources towards food safety is critical.
An FDA spokesperson told USA TODAY in an email statement that the agency prioritizes food safety and is committed to working with all stakeholders.
'The layoffs relate to administrative staff positions in the FDA. There has been no impact to operational investigators conducting food safety inspections,' the FDA spokesperson said.
Over a decade ago, when annual salmonella numbers were estimated to be lower, the U.S. Department of Agriculture estimated that foodborne illness cost the country $3.7 billion per year, most of which was attributed to premature deaths.
Eskin, who previously worked at the U.S. Department of Agriculture overseeing food safety and inspections, said recalls are essential for public health.
'A recall is the last line of defense that you and I have to prevent getting sick,' Eskin said, 'if we're going to a restaurant, or more importantly, going to the grocery store.'
Dr. Susan Kansagra, chief medical officer at the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials, said in an email statement that federal funds support a wide range of state-level activities related to foodborne illness, like laboratory testing, case reporting, and guiding providers and the public on prevention and treatment.
'Loss of funding and staffing decreases our national capacity to do these activities and therefore quickly detect and respond to foodborne illness,' Kansagra said.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: After flood of cucumber recalls, you should check your fridge
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
CNET
18 minutes ago
- CNET
Struggling to Rest on Your Period? These Sleep Hacks May Help
Period pain can make it difficult for you to fall and stay asleep. According to a 2023 systematic review from BMC Women's Health, sleep quality and menstruation are connected, especially when premenstrual syndrome (PMS) and dysmenorrhea (menstrual cramps and pain) are concerned. If you can relate, there are certain things you can do at home to sleep more comfortably when on your period. Why you may struggle to sleep during your period In addition to cramping and back pain, your period ushers in a hormone shift. According to a 2023 comprehensive review in the National Library of Medicine, the relationship between your menstrual cycle and sleep is largely informed by estrogen and progesterone. These hormones peak around the time you ovulate but drop drastically right before menstruate. This hormone dip can disrupt your sleep patterns and increase your temperature. Additionally, people with premenstrual dysphoric disorder may have less melatonin in their bodies right before and during their period. Since this naturally occurring hormone is key to falling and staying asleep, a deficit could keep you up at night. 8 ways to sleep comfortably while on yourOver-the-counter pain medications can often alleviate some period symptoms. Still, as most people with periods know, pain relievers don't offer instant relief and can cause stomach issues. The following tips for sleeping on your period are all natural. 1. Switch up your sleeping position The best positions for sleep on your period are your side or back. Sleeping on your stomach may increase discomfort in your lower back, a region already affected by period cramps. If you sleep on your side, putting a pillow between your knees can align your pelvis and may decrease discomfort. When you're on your back, a small pillow on your lower back may also make sleep easier. If you must sleep on your stomach, placing a small pillow at the hip level could help you stay aligned. CNET 2. Use a heating pad Heat therapy for period pain provides help in two ways. First, it helps relax the uterine muscles, and this may reduce cramping. Second, it promotes blood circulation to your reproductive organs, which may also offer pain relief. Use a heating pad or an electric blanket on the area when you're trying to fall asleep; you can place it under your body if you're a stomach sleeper. Side sleepers may benefit from a heating pad that can be secured around their body with velcro. 3. Reduce caffeine, alcohol and sugar intake Certain food and beverage ingredients may increase period insomnia. Not only can caffeine make you too alert to fall asleep, but it also narrows your blood vessels, which could make your uterus contract more. Alcohol and sugar may increase inflammation and worsen menstrual symptoms, too. 4. Try yoga before bed Yoga stretches can offer muscle pain relief. Nationwide Children's Hospital recommends doing a few yoga stretches when you're just out of a shower or bath and your muscles are warm. They say the cobra, cat, cow and fish poses are especially good for cramp relief. 5. Stay hydrated A simple habit change, like drinking more water, could also lead to better sleep for people with periods. Being dehydrated increases the likelihood of muscle cramps and headaches. Moreover, when you sleep poorly, your body is more likely to expel water it would normally retain. This just makes your dehydration worse. 6. Eat enough protein and complex carbohydrates Both protein and complex carbs can help you avoid disturbed sleep during your period. Protein releases tryptophan, an amino acid that helps your body generate both melatonin and serotonin. Meanwhile, complex carbohydrates regulate blood sugar levels. 7. Turn on a fan When your estrogen and progesterone drop right before your period, your internal temperature can go up. If you already sleep hot, you may be sensitive to this shift. Try cooling down by keeping a fan near your bed. 8. Take a warm shower or bath Relaxing your muscles before bed can help you drift off to sleep more easily. A good soak in the bathtub or hot shower may release tension in your abdominal and back muscles and reduce cramping at night. The bottom line: quality sleep during your period is possibleYou don't have to suffer from insomnia when you're on your period. Remaining mindful of your temperature, diet habits and hydration may help. New tech like the Oura Ring may also help you better understand your cycle and temperature changes. If you experience severe period pain that can't be mitigated by at-home tips, talk with your doctor.
Yahoo
32 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Ex-FDA chief wants to regulate big food
Former FDA chief Dr. David Kessler is petitioning the agency to strip refined carbs of their 'safe' status, arguing they fuel major diseases. The move comes as the CDC says ultra-processed foods make up over half the U.S. diet, including most kids' meals. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
36 minutes ago
- Yahoo
After his family's deportation, teen becomes a lifeline for sister recovering from a brain tumor
Every two weeks, an 18-year-old in Texas buys lifesaving medication for his 11-year-old sister and sends it to Mexico. He has been doing this for the past six months, since immigration authorities removed his five siblings from the United States — four of whom are U.S. citizens, including his then-10-year-old sister, who is recovering from a rare brain tumor. They were all sent to Mexico when authorities deported their parents, who lacked legal status. The family's absence has since weighed heavily on him as the oldest brother, who was left behind in the United States alone. His once bustling home, where cookouts were hosted and life milestones were celebrated among family and friends, now feels empty, he said. Every time he steps into the house, a deep sense of loneliness overcomes him. 'There's no one here. It's just me,' he said, followed by a long pause. 'It's been pretty hard.' The brother, who spoke exclusively to NBC News, is not being named out of concern for his family members' safety after they were sent to an area of Mexico known for kidnappings of U.S. citizens. He had been planning to go to college after finishing high school to pursue his dream career. Instead, he said, he's working two jobs — one during the day at a fast-food restaurant and another at night at a gas station. The teen said he works so many hours a week that at times he barely gets to eat. His family's deportation has forced him to become their lifeline. When the loneliness and long work hours become overwhelming, he said, the ever-present memories of his young sister having seizures and being revived countless times at the hospital motivate him to keep going. 'At any moment, that brain tumor can come back, as her doctors said. That's why she needs to keep getting the medicine that I buy,' said the 18-year-old, who is also a U.S. citizen. His sister can't access the medicine she needs from Mexico because the specialist doctors monitoring her recovery and prescribing her medicines are all in the U.S. 'It's not cheap. At one point, it was like $300,' he said. 'The insurance doesn't cover it, so I'm paying for everything.' After a deportation, hoping for parole On Feb. 3, the family was driving from the Rio Grande Valley area, where they lived, to Houston, where the girl's doctors are based, for an emergency medical checkup. On the way, they stopped at a stateside immigration checkpoint, one they have passed through multiple times. But this time, immigration authorities arrested the parents. According to their attorney, Danny Woodward, they have never done anything to make them a priority for removal. The entire family was taken to a detention facility and sent to Mexico the following day. The girl's health condition has not improved since she's been in Mexico, her mother told NBC News in June. Worsening headaches and dizziness have become so frequent that the girl's parents take turns monitoring and taking care of her through the night. The symptoms are indicative of some of the lasting side effects from the brain surgery that saved her life last year. Because the swelling in her brain is still not fully gone, the girl experiences difficulties with speech and mobility on the right side of her body, as well as memory problems. These require the girl to routinely check in with doctors monitoring her recovery, get MRI scans every three months, attend rehabilitation therapy sessions and take medication to prevent seizures. But she has not been able to consistently access this care since the family was deported, her mother said. The family applied for humanitarian parole with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services in June. They still have not heard back. 'It's very, very stressful — just waiting for them to answer,' the girl's brother said. 'I don't know why it's taking so long.' USCIS did not respond to a request for comment, but according to its website, applicants may demonstrate urgency by establishing a reason to be in the U.S. that calls for immediate action, including critical medical treatment or the need to visit, assist or support a relative who is ill. A spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security, which oversees USCIS, previously told NBC News that reports of the family's situation are 'inaccurate' and declined to speak on the specifics of the case, citing privacy reasons. The spokesperson said in a statement that when 'someone is given expedited removal orders and chooses to disregard them, they will face the consequences.' A church community calls for 'compassion' — and lends a hand Marco Polo Coronado Jr., the lead pastor at the church the boy's family began attending last year following his sister's diagnosis, said allowing the family to come back so that their 11-year-old can receive the treatment she needs with the support of her entire family 'seems like a no-brainer' to him. 'I don't think it matters what political spectrum you come from. I think compassion is something that's born from within us, that God puts there,' Coronado said. 'When you find Jesus, when you have a relationship with Christ, it's hard to avoid.' 'It is a wonderful family, and I think they go out of their way to try to make ends meet for their family and do all the right things for them and bring them up the right way,' Coronado said, adding that their 'remarkable children' excel in music and the arts. Keeping that hope alive, church volunteers showed up last month to help the boy fix up the house, so it's in good shape when the family returns. After a few days of work, everything 'came out better than I expected,' the teen said. With his family gone, the 18-year-old suddenly had bills to pay and a house to keep up. As he struggled to finish his last semester of senior year, he said he considered dropping out to work full time. But then he thought about his mother and the sacrifices she's made, and that kept him in school. He spent his 18th birthday and high school graduation without his family. He had thought that would be the time he'd be applying to colleges, the first step toward becoming a neurosurgeon — the same type of doctor who saved his sister's life last year when she had her first brain surgery. He recalled the moment he decided to pursue that career. It was the first time he met the neurosurgeon who operated on his sister. When the doctor came out of surgery, 'his eyes went happy,' the teen recalled. 'I was like, 'That's what I want to do.'' He's put that on hold, indefinitely. This article was originally published on Solve the daily Crossword
