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FSPCA - Food Safety Preventive Controls Alliance

Monday, June 30, 2025

FDA Reports Cucumber-linked Salmonella Outbreak Over, No Information on Source at Farm

FDA has released notice the the Salmonella outbreak associated with cucumbers from Bedner Growers, Inc., of Boynton Beach, Florida, and distributed by Fresh Start Produce Sales, Inc., of Delray, Florida, is over. There have been 69 total cases with 22 hospitalizations.

Epidemiologic and traceback information demonstrated that cucumbers grown by Bedner Growers, Inc., in Boynton Beach, Florida, were the source of illnesses in this outbreak.  As part of this investigation, FDA collected a product sample of Bedner Growers, Inc., cucumbers from a distribution center in Pennsylvania. Salmonella was detected in the sample of cucumbers. Whole Genome Sequencing analysis determined that the product sample contained Salmonella Montevideo, which matched the strain of Salmonella linked to illnesses in this outbreak.

Case Counts
Total Illnesses: 69
Hospitalizations: 22
Deaths: 0
Last Illness Onset: May 29, 2025
States with Cases: AL, CA, CO, FL, GA, IL, IN, KS, KY, MD, MA, MI, MS, NC, NJ, NY, OH, PA, SC, TN, and VA
Product Distribution: Nationwide

Outbreak Investigations & Safety Advisories
FDA Human Foods Program
Outbreak Investigation of Salmonella: Cucumbers (May 2025)
CDC declares outbreak over. FDA’s investigation is complete.

Current Update
June 30, 2025

The FDA and CDC, in collaboration with state and local partners, investigated illnesses in a multistate outbreak of Salmonella Montevideo infections linked to cucumbers grown by Bedner Growers, Inc., of Boynton Beach, Florida, and distributed by Fresh Start Produce Sales, Inc., of Delray, Florida. As of June 30, 2025, 69 people infected with the outbreak strain of Salmonella were reported from 21 states. Of the 60 people for whom information was available, 22 were hospitalized. Of the 35 people interviewed, 29 (83%) reported eating or likely eating cucumbers. CDC has declared the outbreak over.

Epidemiologic and traceback information demonstrated that cucumbers grown by Bedner Growers, Inc., in Boynton Beach, Florida, were the source of illnesses in this outbreak. Several companies issued recalls for cucumbers and products containing recalled cucumbers. Recalled product is past shelf-life and should no longer be available for sale in stores.

As part of this investigation, FDA collected a product sample of Bedner Growers, Inc., cucumbers from a distribution center in Pennsylvania. Salmonella was detected in the sample of cucumbers. Whole Genome Sequencing analysis determined that the product sample contained Salmonella Montevideo, which matched the strain of Salmonella linked to illnesses in this outbreak.

Additional analysis of the cucumber sample from the Pennsylvania distribution center found a Salmonella Braenderup strain that matched a strain of Salmonella linked to some illnesses in the 2024 outbreak of Salmonella Africana and Salmonella Braenderup likely in cucumbers grown by Bedner Grower’s Inc.

Food safety is a shared responsibility that involves growers, packers, distributors, retailers, and regulators. While FDA’s investigation is complete, FDA is committed to working with all stakeholders to advance critical work to improve prevention of future outbreaks.

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