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

Published

2 years ago

June 5, 2024

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

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Florida

Gas prices rise in South Florida amid U.S. and Israel’s conflict with Iran, as the stock market also reports a dip

Published

4 hours ago

March 4, 2026

Press Room

Gas prices rise in South Florida amid U.S. and Israel’s conflict with Iran, as the stock market also reports a dip

March 3, 2026 / 8:18 PM EST
/ CBS Miami

Four days into the Iranian conflict, gas prices are rising at many stations in South Florida.

“I’ve traveled all over the United States,” says Stacey Williams. CBS Miami spoke to him as he was gassing up on the turnpike. He paid $66 for 20 gallons of diesel to fill his pickup truck. Williams has noted the fluctuations in fuel as he drives to locations for his work on turbines. He just spent three weeks at the Turkey Point Nuclear Power Plant south of Miami.

“The salary we get paid per hour does not add up to what we pay for gas, housing, and food,” he says.

Mitchell Gershon is also dealing with the higher gas prices. He has to fill three vehicles constantly for his business—Thrifty Gypsy, a pop-up store at musical venues. He’s back and forth from Orlando to Miami and says fuel is costing him 20% more. When asked how he handles these fluctuations, he said, “Have a little backup cash so you are ready for it.”

The rise in oil prices contributed to a drop in the stock market on Tuesday, which means some retirement accounts dipped, too. CBS Miami talked to Chad NeSmith, director of investments at Tobias Financial Advisors in Plantation, for perspective on the drop.

“We are seeing most of the pullback today. Yesterday was a shock,” he says. He’s not expecting runaway oil prices but says investors should stay in the loop: “Pay attention to your portfolio. Stick to your goals. Have a plan because these things are completely unpredictable.”

That unpredictability has Williams adjusting his budget. “You just cut back, cut corners, all you can do,” he says.

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Florida

Man convicted of 1991 fatal shooting of a police officer is set to be executed in Florida

Published

16 hours ago

March 3, 2026

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Man convicted of 1991 fatal shooting of a police officer is set to be executed in Florida

STARKE, Fla. (AP) — A man convicted of fatally shooting a police officer with his own service weapon during a traffic stop is set to be executed Tuesday evening in Florida.

Billy Leon Kearse, 53, is scheduled to receive a three-drug injection starting at 6 p.m. at Florida State Prison near Starke. Kearse was initially sentenced to death in 1991 after being convicted of first-degree murder and robbery with a firearm.

The Florida Supreme Court found that the trial court failed to give jurors certain information about aggravating circumstances and ordered a new sentencing. Kearse was resentenced to death in 1997.

Kearse awoke at 6:30 a.m. He declined a last meal and has remained compliant throughout the day, corrections spokesman Jordan Kirkland said during a news conference. Kearse met with a spiritual adviser during the day but had no other visitors.

This is Florida’s third execution scheduled for 2026, following a record 19 executions last year. Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis oversaw more executions in a single year in 2025 than any other Florida governor since the death penalty was reinstated in 1976. The highest number before then was eight executions in both 1984 and 2014, under former governors Bob Graham and Rick Scott, respectively.

According to court records, Fort Pierce Police Officer Danny Parrish pulled over Kearse for driving the wrong way on a one-way street in January 1991. When Kearse couldn’t produce a valid driver’s license, Parrish ordered Kearse out of his vehicle and attempted to handcuff him.

A struggle ensued, and Kearse grabbed Parrish’s firearm, prosecutors said. Kearse fired 14 times, striking the officer nine times in the body and four times in his body armor. A nearby taxi driver heard the shots and used Parrish’s radio to call for help.

Parrish was rushed to a nearby hospital, where he died from the gunshot wounds, officials said. Meanwhile, police used license plate information that Parrish had called in before approaching Kearse to identify the attacker’s vehicle and home address, where Kearse was arrested.

Last week, the Florida Supreme Court denied appeals filed by Kearse. His attorneys had argued that he was unconstitutionally deprived of a fair penalty phase and that his intellectual disability makes his execution unconstitutional.

The U.S. Supreme Court rejected Kearse’s final appeals Tuesday afternoon without comment.

A total of 47 people were executed in the U.S. in 2025. Florida led the way with a flurry of death warrants signed by DeSantis, far outpacing Alabama, South Carolina and Texas which each held five executions.

Besides the two Florida executions this year, Texas and Oklahoma have each executed one person so far.

Two more Florida executions have already been scheduled for this month. Michael Lee King, 54, is scheduled to die on March 17, and the execution of James Aren Duckett, 68, is set for March 31.

All Florida executions are carried out via lethal injection using a sedative, a paralytic and a drug that stops the heart, according to the Department of Corrections.

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Florida

Man convicted of 1991 fatal shooting of police officer is set to be executed in Florida

Published

1 day ago

March 3, 2026

Press Room

STARKE, Fla. (AP) — A man convicted of fatally shooting a police officer with his own service weapon during a traffic stop is set to be executed Tuesday evening in Florida.

The Florida Supreme Court found that the trial court failed to give jurors certain information about aggravating circumstances and ordered a new sentencing. Kearse was resentenced to death in 1997.

Final appeals were pending Tuesday before the U.S. Supreme Court.

Besides the two Florida executions this year, Texas and Oklahoma have each executed one person so far.

Two more Florida executions have already been scheduled for this month. Michael Lee King, 54, is scheduled to die on March 17, and the execution of James Aren Duckett, 68, is set for March 31.

All Florida executions are carried out via lethal injection using a sedative, a paralytic and a drug that stops the heart, according to the Department of Corrections.

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