Why are so many people getting sick from eating cucumbers?

[SheltieLover]

https://www.nbcnews.com/health/recall/cucumber-recall-salmonella-outbreak-people-getting-sick-rcna210723

Salmonella outbreaks linked to cucumbers have sickened hundreds of people since last year, drawing attention to the problem of contaminated irrigation water on farms.

Heat from cooking can eliminate salmonella, but when fresh produce is eaten raw, there is typically no “kill step” for bacteria.

The Food and Drug Administration has yet to explain how the cucumbers linked to the current outbreak became contaminated; the investigation is ongoing. But last year, the agency found that Bedner Growers had used untreated canal water for irrigation — and that the water was contaminated with one of the salmonella strains that had made people sick.

Cucumbers and other fresh produce may be a surprising source of salmonella, which can cause diarrhea, stomach cramps and fever, as well as more serious health problems that can turn fatal. Heat from cooking can kill the bacteria, but fruits and vegetables that are eaten raw, like cucumbers, can be unsafe once they are contaminated. That means it’s particularly important to protect fresh produce from pathogens lurking in water used for irrigation or washing.

Much more at link.

Be safe!