Salmonella Outbreak Leads to Recall
The food products we purchase are supposed to be safe for consumption. However, vegetables such as cucumbers can be contaminated, resulting in serious illness.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently recalled cucumbers sold across the United States after it was determined that they contained salmonella. The FDA announced a recall for cucumbers grown by Bedner Growers between April 29 and May 19. So far, the outbreak has sickened more than two dozen people in multiple states.
Fresh Start Produce Sales distributed the cucumbers to retailers, distribution centers, wholesalers and food service distributors nationwide. The cucumbers may have been sold individually or in smaller packages. They may or may not have a label that bears the brand, product name, or best by date.
The cucumbers in question have been linked to a multistate outbreak of Salmonella Montevideo, which affects the intestinal tract. So far, the cucumbers have caused salmonella poisoning to 26 people. Of those, nine required hospitalization. These reported cases are spread out across 15 states all over the country, including South Carolina.
An inspection in April allowed investigators to collect an environmental sample from Bedner Growers. It turned out to be positive for the disease and matched recent clinical samples from people who got sick. According to Bedner Growers, the company initiated the recall “in an abundance of caution.”
Symptoms of salmonella infection include diarrhea, fever, stomach cramps and vomiting. Anyone who has symptoms of a salmonella infection after eating cucumbers should seek medical attention.
The FDA and Centers for Disease Control (CDC) are working with state and local authorities to investigate the outbreak. Those who have cucumbers already in their fridge should err on the side of caution. If you cannot tell if your cucumber was grown by Bedner Growers, throw it away.
Consumers, restaurants, and retailers who have handled potentially contaminated cucumbers should sanitize any surfaces or containers that they may have touched.
Restaurants, retailers, and distributors that may have purchased the cucumbers between April 29 and May 19 should notify their customers and sanitize any areas that the vegetables touched.
The states with the most reports of illness are Florida, Ohio, Illinois, and North Carolina. Some of the affected cucumbers were previously available for sale at Bedner’s Farm Fresh Market, located in Florida.
All cucumbers by Bedner Growers that you’ll currently find in stores are unaffected by this recall. However, the contaminated cucumbers may still be available at restaurants and retailers and the FDA is working to trace them.
Fresh Start Produce Sales has notified all affected wholesale and regional distribution center customers and asked them to inform customers.
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Defective products and contaminated food can cause health issues. A person can get seriously ill from consuming a food product that has salmonella.
If you or a loved one has been harmed by a defective consumer product, contaminated food, or a dangerous drug or a defective medical device, the Columbia products liability lawyers from Simmons Law Firm are here to help. Schedule a consultation by filling out the online form or calling (803) 779-4600.
Source:
npr.org/2025/05/21/nx-s1-5406141/cucumber-recall-salmonella
