FDA Investigated Multistate Outbreak of Salmonella Poona Linked to Cucumbers

The FDA, CDC, and state and local officials investigated a multistate outbreak of Salmonella
Poona linked to “slicer” cucumbers, supplied by Andrew and Williamson
Fresh Produce and grown in Baja, Mexico. This type of cucumber can also
be called “American” cucumbers.

According to the CDC, as of March 18, 2016, 907 people infected with the outbreak strains of Salmonella Poona have been reported from 40 states. The number of ill people reported from each state is as follows: Alabama (1), Alaska (21), Arizona (140), Arkansas (13), California (245), Colorado (21), Connecticut (1), Florida (1), Georgia(1), Hawaii (1), Idaho (27), Illinois (11), Indiana (5), Iowa (7), Kansas (2), Kentucky (1), Louisiana (5), Maryland (1), Minnesota (46), Missouri (15), Montana (16), Nebraska (8), Nevada (17), New Hampshire (1), New Mexico (37), New York (6), North Dakota (8), Ohio (3), Oklahoma (13), Oregon (23), Pennsylvania (3), South Carolina (10), South Dakota (3), Tennessee (1), Texas (51), Utah (62), Virginia (1), Washington (26), Wisconsin (46), and Wyoming (7).

Among 720 people with available information, 204 (28 percent)
reported being hospitalized. Among these people, illness onset dates
ranged from July 3, 2015 to February 29, 2016. Six deaths have been
reported from Arizona (1), California (3), Oklahoma (1), and Texas (1).
According to the California Department of Public Health, Salmonella
infection was considered to be a contributing factor in only one of the
three deaths in California. According to the CDC, the outbreak appears
to be over as of March 18, 2016.

Federal and state authorities identified clusters of people made ill
in separate geographic areas and worked to trace the distribution of the
food they ate back to a common supplier. The results of the traceback
investigation indicate that Andrew & Williamson Fresh Produce, of
San Diego, California, was a common supplier of cucumbers that were
eaten by the people in these illness clusters.

Several state health and agriculture departments collected and tested cucumbers from retail locations for the presence of Salmonella.
The Nevada Department of Health and Human Services, the Arizona
Department of Health Services, and the Montana Department of Public
Health and Human Services have isolated one of the outbreak strains of Salmonella
Poona from cucumbers collected from retail locations. Traceback showed
that these cucumbers were distributed by Andrew & Williamson Fresh
Produce. Additionally, the San Diego County Health and Human Services
Agency isolated one of the outbreak strains Salmonella Poona from cucumbers collected during a visit to the Andrew & Williamson Fresh Produce facility.

On September 3, 2015, FDA and the California Department of Public
Health (CDPH) briefed the management of Andrew & Williamson Fresh
Produce on the status of the investigation thus far.  Andrew &
Williamson has issued a voluntary recallExternal Link Disclaimer
of all cucumbers sold under its Limited Edition® label during the
period from August 1, 2015 through September 3, 2015.  This recall has
prompted additional voluntary recalls from firms that received Andrew
& Williamson Fresh Produce.

Andrew & Williamson Fresh Produce reported that the Limited
Edition cucumbers were distributed in the states of Alaska, Arkansas,
Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Idaho, Illinois, Kansas,
Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Minnesota, Montana, New Jersey, New
Mexico, Nevada, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Carolina, Texas, and Utah and
reached customers through retail, food service companies, wholesalers,
and brokers.

The company further reported that these cucumbers were shipped in a
black, green, yellow, and craft colored carton which reads “Limited
Edition Pole Grown Cucumbers.”  This variety is often referred to as a
“Slicer” or “American” cucumber.  It has a dark green color.  It
typically has a length of 7 to 10 inches and a diameter of 1.75 to 2.5
inches.  In retail it is typically sold in a bulk display without any
individual packaging or plastic wrapping.  In food service it is
typically served as part of a salad.

The FDA traceback investigation determined that the firm Rancho Don
Juanito de R.L. de C.V. located in Baja, Mexico was the primary source
of cucumbers shipped to Andrew & Williamson.

On September 14, 2015, the FDA issued an updated Import Alert to include cucumbers from Rancho Don Juanito de R.L. de C.V. located in Baja, Mexico. This action was based on the identification of Salmonella in cucumbers through import sampling of the farm’s cucumbers.

An FDA investigator completed an inspection of Rancho Don Juanito de
R.L. de C.V. on September 17, 2015. The FDA investigator was accompanied
by the Mexican authorities. Among the observations of the FDA
investigators were concerns with waste water management, equipment
design of the pre-wash area, and storage of packing material. The firm
corrected some issues during the inspection, including equipment design
of the pre-wash area. The firm also stopped cucumber harvests at the
implicated Rancho Don Juanito farm for the 2015 cucumber harvesting
season. The root cause of the contamination was not identified during
the FDA’s inspection.

The FDA added cucumbers from Rancho Don Juanito de R.L. de C.V. located in Baja, Mexico to a second Import Alert on September 23, 2015, based on the appearance that cucumbers from the firm appeared to have been prepared, packed, and held under insanitary conditions.  In order to overcome the appearance of a violation, Rancho Don Juanito de R.L. de C.V. should demonstrate that they have identified potential sources and routes of contamination and have taken steps to prevent future contamination before the company’s cucumbers can be removed from the Import Alert.

The number of reported illnesses did not return to the baseline
number for a produce outbreak for several months after the peak in
August and September. To prevent contaminated cucumbers from entering
the United States from other shippers in Mexico, FDA increased
surveillance on cucumbers imported from Mexico.  FDA also sampled other
commodities and also monitored subsequent cucumber recalls after the
initial recall and Import Alert to ensure that the cucumbers were not
contaminated with the outbreak strain of Salmonella.

Early in the outbreak, the FDA and state partners found the presence
of the outbreak strain of Salmonella in cucumbers from retail locations
and at ports of entry.  These cucumbers were subsequently recalled. The
results suggested a high level of contamination in these cucumbers,
which could increase the likelihood of cross-contamination of shipping
containers or other food contact surfaces. The FDA also conducted an
investigation involving review of records to determine if
cross-contamination within the distribution chain for the recalled
cucumbers could explain continued illnesses.  The results of the records
review investigation were inconclusive.

As part of the FDA’s risk-based and preventive approach to food
safety, in November, 2015, the FDA began a surveillance sampling program
that includes the collection and analysis of 1,600 cucumber samples
domestic and import samples from packing houses, manufacturers and
distributors within the United States during FY 2016.

President Donald J. Trump's United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement Delivers a Historic Win for American Workers

PRESIDENT DONALD J. TRUMP’S UNITED STATES-MEXICO-CANADA AGREEMENT DELIVERS A HISTORIC WIN FOR AMERICAN WORKERS

“The USMCA is the largest, most significant, modern, and balanced trade agreement in history. All of our countries will benefit greatly.” – President Donald J. Trump

DELIVERING ON HIS PROMISE: President Donald J. Trump is replacing the outdated North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) with the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA).

• Today, President Trump is signing his historic USMCA deal, making good on his promise to deliver fairer and more reciprocal trade for the American people.
• USMCA will replace the terrible NAFTA agreement that resulted in the loss of millions of American jobs and devastated communities across our county.
• The deal marks a tremendous victory for American workers, farmers, manufacturers, and businesses alike.

STANDING UP FOR AMERICAN WORKERS: USMCA will deliver more jobs and better labor protections that benefit American workers, while fostering more growth for American businesses.

• While NAFTA was a disaster for American workers, USMCA will deliver new jobs and better protections for hardworking Americans across the country.
• USMCA has the potential to create nearly 600,000 jobs and generate up to $235 billion in economic activity.
• This deal includes the strongest, most advanced, and most comprehensive labor chapter of any American trade agreement in history.
• Workers in all sectors of the economy are expected to benefit from this landmark agreement.
• USMCA is the first United States trade agreement to ever include a chapter supporting small and medium sized businesses.

SUPPORTING AMERICAN FARMERS: USMCA includes tremendous breakthroughs for American agriculture.

• USMCA is a monumental win for American farmers and ranchers, improving access to Canadian and Mexican markets to export their goods.
• As a result of President Trump’s efforts to secure a better deal for our farmers, American agricultural exports are expected to increase by $2.2 billion under USMCA.
• Under the agreement, Canada has agreed to expand market access for American dairy, egg, and poultry producers.
  • The agreement is expected to grow annual dairy exports by nearly $315 million.
• American wheat growers will have access to a more level playing field.
  • Thanks to this deal, Canada will finally give fair treatment to American-grown wheat.

DRIVING NEW GROWTH FOR THE AUTO INDUSTRY: USMCA will provide a massive boost to American manufacturers, particularly our vital auto industry.

• USMCA will achieve fairer, more reciprocal trade that supports high-paying American manufacturing jobs and grows the economy.
• USMCA includes innovative provisions to incentivize new investments in the American auto industry and support high-paying jobs for American auto workers.
  • New wage and rules of origin requirements included in the agreement will put American autoworkers on a level playing field with workers from other countries.
• USMCA is expected to create up to 76,000 new auto jobs, spur $34 billion in new investment in the auto industry, and add $23 billion in auto parts purchases annually.

MODERNIZING REGIONAL TRADE: USMCA will bring our trade relationship with Canada and Mexico into the 21st century.

• USMCA is a modern trade deal that will completely transform our trade relationship with Canada and Mexico and end the outdated NAFTA.
• USMCA contains new protections for American intellectual property, ensuring strong, effective protection for American innovators and creators.  
• Included in USMCA is a first-of-its-kind chapter on digital trade, which the decades-old NAFTA was never updated to address.
  • The digital trade provisions included in this agreement will foster economic growth and innovation for years to come.
• USMCA includes first-of-its-kind provisions to prohibit unfair currency practices and reinforce exchange rate stability.  
• The agreement includes the strongest environmental standards of any trade agreement in our history.  
  • These standards are fully enforceable and will help prevent companies from moving out of the United States—and taking jobs with them—to avoid environmental rules.