An outbreak of salmonella linked to recalled cucumbers has sickened 449 people in 31 states and the District of Columbia, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said in an update.
The CDC is among the federal and state agencies investigating the outbreak and determined that cucumbers contaminated with salmonella made people sick. As of July 2, 449 people had been infected with one of two outbreak strains, with 125 hospitalized, according to a post on Wednesday by the agency.
Two Florida growers have been identified as likely sources of some but not all of the illnesses: Bedner Growers of Boynton Beach and Thomas Produce of Boca Raton, the CDC said. One of several salmonella strains identified in the outbreak was detected in untreated canal water used by Thomas Produce, and additional strains were detected in soil and water collected at both farms, the agency said. Their cucumbers are no longer in season or on store shelves.
According to a notice published on June 1, 2024 by the Food and Drug Administration, Fresh Start Produce Sales in Delray, Florida, recalled whole cucumbers shipped to retail distribution centers, wholesalers and foodservice distributors in 14 states.
The recall came after the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture told the company that a product sample tested positive for salmonella, Fresh Start stated at that time.
The organism can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in the young, frail or elderly.
Healthy people infected with salmonella may experience symptoms such as fever, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain. In rare cases, the bacteria can enter the bloodstream and cause more serious infections.
Salmonella bacteria cause about 1.35 million infections, 26,500 hospitalizations and 420 deaths in the United States each year, with food being the source of most of the illnesses, according to to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Most people recover without specific treatment and should not take antibiotics, the CDC noted.