Cucumbers recalled after multistate Salmonella outbreak leaves dozens sick

U.S. health officials are investigating a multistate outbreak of Salmonella in contaminated cucumbers after nine people were hospitalized, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

As of May 20, 26 cases had been reported across 15 states after Bedner Growers, Inc. of Boynton Beach, Florida voluntarily recalled whole cucumbers sold at its Farm Fresh Market retail outlets between April 29 and May 14, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The recalled cucumbers were also sold to wholesale distributor, Fresh Start Produce Sales, Inc.

The FDA is still working to determine where the potentially contaminated products were distributed, but cases have been reported in Alabama, California, Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, North Carolina, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia.

Salmonella are a group of food-borne bacteria that infect roughly 1.35 million people in the U.S. every year, according to the CDC. Salmonella infections can cause diarrhea, fever and stomach cramps, and symptoms usually develop between six hours and six days of exposure.

While most patients will recover without treatment, some — especially young children, pregnant women, those with weakened immune systems, and those over age 65 — may require medical intervention or hospitalization. In severe cases, the infection may spread beyond the intestines, which can be life-threatening.

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There are more than 2,500 different types of Salmonella bacteria, roughly 100 of which cause human illness. The FDA reported that the strain involved in the current incident is called Salmonella Montevideo, a subtype of the species Salmonella enterica.

"Salmonella is a serious health concern. Bedner Growers is extremely concerned about the safety of the products it grows," a spokesperson for Bedner Growers said in a statement. "This recall has been undertaken by us voluntarily. Safety first."

The contaminated cucumbers were identified during an inspection in April in response to a similar outbreak of salmonella in 2024 linked to cucumbers grown by Bedner Growers, Inc., the FDA reports.

The CDC has urged customers to wash cucumbers before eating them and to throw away cucumbers if they don't know where they are from. The recall does not include cucumbers sold at Bedner's Farm Fresh Market after May 14, the FDA noted.

A spokesperson from Fresh Start Produce said that "after learning of the farm's recall, the company contacted its wholesale and regional distribution center customers to ask that they provide their customers with recall instructions, including notifying any consumer point-of-purchase locations."