The FDA has updated its recall warning for sushi sold at a popular grocery store to the highest danger classification.
ZENSHI sushi products sold by Harris Teeter in seven states and DC were recalled on May 20 after it was discovered that cucumbers used to make the sushi had potentially be contaminated with salmonella.
The supermarket announced the sweeping recall in May, urging customers in those states to dispose of the products if they had them or return them to the store.
The classification upgrade this month brings it to Class I, the highest risk level the FDA can designated a recalled product.
A Class I risk classification represents ‘a situation in which there is a reasonable probability that the use of or exposure to a violative product will cause serious adverse health consequences or death.’
The salmonella risk is believed to stem from the use of cucumbers from Bedner Growers Inc that have also been recalled after being sold in 18 states that has caused 45 illnesses and 16 hospitalizations.
Salmonella is a type of bacteria that causes salmonellosis, which causes nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal cramping, and sometimes bloody stool.
Many people with salmonellosis also develop a fever, which can become severe and require hospitalization, and the severe GI upset can lead to dehydration.
The FDA has updated its recall warning for sushi sold at Harris Teeter stores to the highest danger classification (stock)
Adults 65 and older, children under 5 years, and people with weakened immune systems are more likely to get very sick from Salmonella, caused by eating foods contaminated with animal feces.
Illness usually occurs within 12 to 72 hours after eating contaminated food and usually lasts four to seven days.
Salmonella sickens 1.3 million Americans each year, leading to 26,500 hospitalizations and about 400 deaths.
Harris Teeter did not confirm that the cucumbers behind the sushi recall were those grown by Bedner Growers, Inc.
Still, the US is currently in the midst of a massive Bedner cucumber recall on the heels of a wave of salmonella illnesses across multiple states.
Bedner Growers supplied the cucumbers to Fresh Start Produce Sales, which then distributed to Harris Teeter stores in Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia and the District of Columbia.
The tainted cucumbers have been linked by the FDA to a salmonella outbreak that has sickened at least 45 people in 15 states.
The outbreak was uncovered during an April follow-up to a 2024 incident that sickened 551 people and hospitalized 155 across 34 states and Washington, D.C.
Investigators traced the earlier outbreak to salmonella bacteria found in untreated canal water used by Bedner Growers and Thomas Produce Company farms.
In addition to sushi recalls, businesses have issued similar notices for other items including the risky cucumbers, including snack trays and salads.
Last month, Supreme Produce recalled Yummi Sushi products sold at Kroger grocery stores linked to Bedner cucumbers.
The CDC said about the recalled produce last month: ‘If you have cucumbers at home and can’t tell where they are from, throw them away.’
Health officials added: ‘When eating out over the next week, ask if cucumbers were from Bedner Growers or Fresh Start Produce Sales Inc.’
Salmonellosis isn’t a stomach bug.
If you have purchased cucumbers, the FDA advises throwing them out and cleaning counters that may have some into contact with them to avoid cross contamination (stock)
The infection typically begins with relentless, watery diarrhea that can become bloody, paired with severe cramping.
Patients may spike fevers over 102 degrees Fahrenheit, vomit repeatedly, and become dangerously dehydrated, leading to dry, cracked lips, sunken eyes, and dizziness so severe it makes standing feel impossible.
In the worst cases, the bacteria can escape the gut and enter the bloodstream, triggering life-threatening infections in the bones, brain, or heart.
If you’re feeling sick after a suspected salmonella exposure, the CDC recommends calling a doctor if you’re dealing with any serious symptoms.
