In a concerning development, a new salmonella outbreak linked to cucumbers from one and the same farmer in Florida has ignited concern among U.S. health officials.
See the tweet below!
Traces of the harmful bacteria, connected to cucumbers grown by Bedner Growers and distributed by Fresh Start Produce Sales, have sickened at least 26 individuals in 15 states.
Bedner Growers has once again found itself at the center of a salmonella outbreak.
The same grower was previously tied to a significant outbreak last year, which sickened over 550 people across the nation.
This year’s outbreak has already resulted in nine hospitalizations, though no deaths have been reported at this time.
US health officials are probing a new salmonella outbreak linked to Florida-grown cucumbers from Bedner Growers, distributed by Fresh Start Produce Sales,” US health officials reported, cited by Reuters.
Retailers and consumers should remain cautious, as the outbreak shows similarities in timing and distribution channels to last year’s incident.
The tainted cucumbers were sold from April 29 to May 19, while illness reports span from April 2 to April 28.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) detected this salmonella outbreak during a follow-up inspection related to the 2024 outbreak.
The investigation revealed that salmonella found on the Bedner Growers farm matched samples from the recent patients.
This spotlighted ongoing issues tied to untreated canal water used at the farm
The outbreak was discovered during a follow-up inspection related to a 2024 outbreak involving untreated canal water, Local10 reports.
Certain individuals reported falling ill after consuming cucumbers on cruise ships departing Florida, raising questions about food safety measures on board.
Fortunately, organic cucumbers have not been implicated in the outbreak, providing some reassurance to consumers who lean toward organic options.
“Retailers should notify consumers who may have bought the tainted produce. If consumers don’t know the source of cucumbers, they should throw them away, officials said,” KSAT reports.
The cucumbers were sold to restaurants, stores and food service distributors between April 29 and May 19 and may still be within their shelf life this week.https://t.co/Y8VFe1gbqY
— WSBT (@WSBT) May 20, 2025
Health officials are urging retailers to alert customers about the affected produce, emphasizing the importance of transparency in the food supply chain.
Consumers who cannot identify the source of their cucumbers are advised to discard them immediately.
Symptoms of salmonella poisoning include diarrhea, fever, vomiting, dehydration, and stomach cramps, with severe cases potentially requiring hospitalization
In an age where we expect greater accountability from those who grow and distribute our food, this recurring issue at Bedner Growers demands closer scrutiny.
