Cucumbers

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Florida Grower Tied to Salmonella Outbreak From Cucumbers

July 3, 2024

Lucille Barilla

A Florida grower reportedly used untreated water on its cucumber crops, which led to a Salmonella outbreak among those who ingested the vegetables. The water was not applied to edible parts of the cucumber plants but was used for subsoil watering.

To investigate the issue, the FDA collected samples of untreated canal water used by Bedner Growers Inc., and the agency detected Salmonella Braenderup. Other types of Salmonella were detected in both soil and water samples.

As of July 1, 2024, 449 people infected with the outbreak strains have been reported to the FDA from 31 states and the District of Columbia. “Of these illnesses, 215 people were infected with the newly added Salmonella Braenderup. Of the 188 people interviewed, 129 (69%) reported eating cucumbers,” according to the FDA.


In early June, the FDA reported that the cucumbers in question were distributed between May 17 and May 21 in 14 states: Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Maryland, North Carolina, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia.

The Food and Drug Administration reported that the recalled cucumbers were distributed by Fresh Start Produce Sales Inc. and grown by Bedner Growers Inc. of Boynton Beach, Florida. However, these recalled vegetables are no longer on store shelves as they have expired past their sell-by date. The grower’s harvesting seasons are also over.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, contaminated food is the source of most salmonella cases. Symptoms include diarrhea, stomach cramps, and fever and begin anywhere from six hours to six days from infection. Symptoms can last between four and seven days. The CDC recommends calling a doctor if you have diarrhea combined with a fever of more than 102 degrees, have bloody diarrhea, or the diarrhea hasn’t improved in three days.


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