But it can be difficult for consumers to know where the cucumbers they purchased may have come from. The Food and Drug Administration said that the vegetables were sold individually or in small packages, possibly without a label. “If you are not absolutely certain that any cucumbers you have at home were not grown by Bedner Growers, don’t eat them,” says James E. Rogers, PhD., director of product and food safety research and testing at Consumer Reports.
Salmonella can cause serious illness and can be fatal in young children, older people, and anyone with a weakened immune system. Nine people have been hospitalized as a result of this outbreak.
Some of the recalled cucumbers were sold at local retailers in Florida. Others were served at restaurants, on cruise ships, or distributed to retailers across the U.S. Illnesses have been reported in Alabama, California, Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, North Carolina, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia.
Federal inspectors discovered the salmonella contamination at Bedner Growers during a recent follow-up inspection, prompted by a similar outbreak traced in part to the company in 2024. That outbreak sickened 551 people and caused 155 hospitalizations.
Investigators used whole genome sequencing technology to match the strain of salmonella causing the current outbreak to the strain found at Bedner Growers.
CR was unable to reach Bedner Growers, and the distributor, Fresh Start Produce, did not immediately respond to CR’s questions.
