Florida cucumbers may be linked to two separate salmonella outbreaks, FDA says

An outbreak of salmonella that has infected 162 people in 26 states and the District of Columbia has been potentially linked to Florida-grown cucumbers, according to a release from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, and they may be connected to a different outbreak with 158 people affected.

Fresh Start Produce Sales Inc. of Delray, Florida voluntarily recalled cucumbers shipped in bulk cartons directly to retail distribution centers, wholesalers, and food service distributors in 14 states from May 17th through May 21, 2024, after the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture found that a cucumber sample tested positive for Salmonella africana. The FDA has been investigating any possible connections to the outbreak.

“Of the 65 people interviewed, 47 (72%) reported eating cucumbers,” the FDA said Wednesday. So far 54 people have been hospitalized, according to a notice from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Eighteen of the infected people were in Florida. There have been no deaths reported.

The FDA and the CDC are also investigating an outbreak of Salmonella braenderup infections, with 158 illnesses in 23 states, which the FDA said shares some similarities. “Investigators are working to determine whether the two outbreaks could be linked to the same food vehicle,” the FDA said.

Multiple outbreaks at a time are unusual. The second outbreak of salmonella “came out of left field,” said food safety lawyer Bill Marler. “We’re not quite sure the second outbreak is linked to the first. It might have been, but until they do a little more epidemiological investigation it’s hard to know.”

Marler, who has worked on food safety cases since the Jack-in-the-Box e. coli outbreak in 1993, said the multiple strains of salmonella may also have caused delays with the investigation.

“I’m a bit surprised it took the FDA and CDC so long to figure out the link for the africana outbreak,” he said, “but it may have been… to the two outbreaks, some of the people from the other strain also ate cucumbers.

“It may have been a pretty confounding investigation,” he said.

“The public should be on alert.” Marler told USA TODAY.

The CDC is also investigating a salmonella outbreak linked to backyard poultry, which has sickened 109 people, including 33 who were hospitalized.

A previous salmonella outbreak this year linked to organic basil sold at Trader Joe’s affected 12 people in seven states, including Florida, leaving one person hospitalized.

The recalled cucumbers were whole, dark green, approximately 1.5 – 2.0 inches in diameter, and 5-9 inches long. Mini cucumbers and English cucumbers were not included in the recall.

“Cucumbers distributed by Fresh Start Produce Sales, Inc. are from a variety of growers,” the FDA said. “The grower that likely supplied potentially contaminated cucumbers is no longer growing and harvesting cucumbers for the season.”

Where were people infected with salmonella?

So far, the people infected in this salmonella outbreak are in:

• Alabama: 1
• Arizona: 1
• Connecticut: 2
• Delaware: 1
• District of Columbia: 1
• Florida: 18
• Georgia: 8
• Indiana: 1
• Iowa: 3
• Kentucky: 4
• Maine: 1
• Maryland: 2
• Massachusetts: 5
• Michigan: 4
• Minnesota: 5
• Missouri: 1
• New Jersey: 3
• New York: 19
• North Carolina: 7
• Ohio: 9
• Pennsylvania: 27
• Rhode Island: 4
• South Carolina: 8
• Tennessee: 8
• Texas: 2
• Virginia: 17

“This outbreak may not be limited to the states with known illnesses, and the true number of sick people is likely much higher than the number reported,” the CDC said. “This is because many people recover without medical care and are not tested for salmonella.”

Which stores sold the recalled cucumbers?

The FDA has not released any information on affected retailers.

“I am surprised there isn’t more data out there where the cucumbers went and what grocery stores they may have gone to, what service outlets they may have gone to,” Marler said.

“That might be because the product has a short shelf life and the FDA figured they were off the market.”

What is salmonella?

“Salmonella are bacteria that make people sick,” the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says on its fact page.

Salmonella can make people ill with diarrhea, fever, and stomach cramps which can last from four days up to a week. Symptoms usually begin six hours to six days after infection, the CDC said. Most cases of Salmonella infections pass, but some people may need to be hospitalized.

Salmonella bacteria cause “about 1.35 million infections, 26,500 hospitalizations, and 420 deaths in the United States every year,” the CDC said. “Food is the source for most of these illnesses.”

What you should do

If you recently bought any cucumbers, check with the store where you bought them to see if they were part of the recall. Ifd so, or if you’re not sure, don’t eat them. The CDC recommends you wash any surfaces they may have touched with hot soapy water or a dishwasher.

Call a doctor if you have any of these severe symptoms:

• Diarrhea and a fever higher than 102°F
• Diarrhea for more than 3 days that is not improving
• Bloody diarrhea
• So much vomiting that you cannot keep liquids down
• Signs of dehydration, such as:
  • Not peeing much
  • Dry mouth and throat
  • Feeling dizzy when standing up