Nearly four dozen people across 18 states have fallen ill due to an outbreak of salmonella linked to cucumbers that were recently recalled. Federal health officials reported that these cucumbers, produced by a Florida company, were distributed to various places including restaurants, hospitals, cruise ships, and grocery stores like Target.
So far, at least 16 individuals have needed hospitalization after consuming cucumbers from Bedner Growers. These cucumbers were available for purchase between April 29 and May 19. The outbreak has also affected passengers on six different cruise ships that set sail from U.S. ports during late March through mid-April. Experts believe the actual number of affected individuals might be much higher, and more states could potentially be involved.
In response, several companies have issued recalls for whole cucumbers as well as those used in various sandwiches, salsas, and other food products related to this outbreak. Target has recalled numerous items, including whole cucumbers, salads, and vegetable rolls.
The outbreak was discovered during a routine inspection in April following a previous incident earlier in the year, which resulted in over 500 illnesses and numerous hospitalizations across 34 states and Washington, D.C. In that case, investigators traced the source of the problem to untreated canal water at the farms connected to Bedner Growers.
In the current investigation, the FDA found salmonella in a sample of cucumbers from Bedner Growers at a distribution center in Pennsylvania. This sample matched the strain responsible for the recent illnesses. Additionally, officials detected multiple other salmonella strains linked to previous cases.
Common symptoms of salmonella infection include diarrhea, fever, severe vomiting, dehydration, and stomach cramps. Most people recover within a week, but infections can be serious for young children, older adults, and others with weakened immune systems, who may require hospital care.
