Epidemiologic, traceback, and laboratory data show that cucumbers were contaminated with Salmonella and made people sick. Testing identified the Salmonella Braenderup strain in untreated canal water used by a grower in Florida. An additional grower has been identified as a likely source of illnesses in this outbreak; however, there aren’t any products on the market and likely no ongoing risk to the public. Cucumbers from both of these growers are no longer in season and products are no longer on shelves.

Follow these four food safety steps to prevent getting sick from Salmonella.

• Clean: Wash your hands, utensils, and surfaces often. Rinse fruits and vegetables under running water before eating, cutting, or peeling.
• Separate: Keep food that won’t be cooked separate from raw meat, poultry, and seafood.
• Cook: Use a food thermometer to make sure you have cooked your food to a temperature high enough to kill germs.
• Chill: Refrigerate perishable food (food that goes bad) within 2 hours. If the outside temperature is hotter than 90°F, refrigerate within 1 hour. Thaw food in the refrigerator, not on the counter.

• Most people infected with Salmonella experience diarrhea, fever, and stomach cramps.
  • Symptoms usually start 6 hours to 6 days after swallowing the bacteria.
  • Most people recover without treatment after 4 to 7 days.
• Some people—especially children younger than 5 years, adults 65 years and older, and people with weakened immune systems—may experience more severe illnesses that require medical treatment or hospitalization.
• For more information about Salmonella, see the Salmonella Questions and Answers page.

• LOCALLY GROWN CUCUMBERS SOURCE OF SALMONELLA OUTBREAK

• Current Update

  August 14, 2024

  The FDA and CDC, in collaboration with state and local partners, are investigating a multistate outbreak of Salmonella Africana and Salmonella Braenderup infections with 449 illnesses in 31 states and the District of Columbia. While originally reported as two separate outbreaks, CDC and FDA combined these two outbreak investigations as they shared several similarities, including when and where illnesses occurred, the demographics of ill people, and the foods they reported eating before they became sick. Laboratory, epidemiological, and traceback data have determined that cucumbers from Bedner Growers, Inc., of Boynton Beach, Florida, and Thomas Produce Company, of Boca Raton, Florida, are likely sources of illnesses in this outbreak; however, these growers do not account for all the illnesses in this outbreak.

  Based on traceback information collected, Thomas Produce Company supplied cucumbers to multiple points of service where ill people reported eating cucumbers. As part of the investigation, FDA conducted an onsite inspection at Thomas Produce Company and collected samples. Salmonella Braenderup was detected in samples of canal water used by Thomas Produce Company. Whole Genome Sequencing analysis determined that the water used by Thomas Produce Company contained the Salmonella that is a match to a strain of Salmonella Braenderup that is causing some of the illnesses in this outbreak.

  Additional types of Salmonella were detected in both soil and water samples collected at both Bedner Growers, Inc. and Thomas Produce Company. Multiple other strains of Salmonella, unrelated to this outbreak investigation, found at Bedner Growers, Inc. matched clinical isolates from illnesses in the National Center for Biotechnology Information’s (NCBI) database that occurred in previous years. CDC and FDA are working to determine whether other positive samples from Thomas Produce Company match historical clinical isolates.

  Bedner Growers, Inc.’s and Thomas Produce Company’s cucumber growing and harvesting season is over. There is no product from these farms on the market and likely no ongoing risk to the public.

  Food safety is a shared responsibility that involves growers, packers, distributors, retailers, and regulators. While FDA’s traceback investigation is complete, FDA is committed to working with all stakeholders to advance this critical work to improve prevention of future outbreaks.

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  Case Count Map Provided by CDC

  

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  Case Counts

  Total Illnesses: 449
  Hospitalizations: 125
  Deaths: 0
  Last Illness Onset: June 4, 2024
  States with Cases: AL, AR, CT, DE, DC, FL, GA, IL, IN, IA, KY, ME, MD, MA, MI, MN, MO, NV, NJ, NY, NC, OH, OK, PA, RI, SC, TN, TX, VA, VT, WA, WI

  Useful Links

  • CDC Investigation Notice
  • Fresh Start Produce Sales, Inc. Recall
  • Food Safety Tips for Retailers and Consumers During an Outbreak
  • Food Safety Resources for Produce Shippers and Carriers During a Foodborne Illness Outbreak
  • Who to Contact
  • What is Salmonella?