Florida grower again in spotlight over salmonella concerns
A Florida grower linked to a salmonella outbreak that sickened 551 people last year is again facing scrutiny over contaminated cucumbers.
Cucumbers grown by Bedner Growers Inc. and distributed by Fresh Start Produce Sales Inc. between April 29 to May 14 have been recalled because of salmonella concerns.
Cucumbers may have been sold individually or in smaller packages, with or without a label that may not bear the same brand, product name or best by date, according to the Food and Drug Administration. For distributors, restaurants and retailers, the products were labeled as either being “supers,” “selects,” or “plains.”
The FDA and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warned that cucumbers grown by Bedner Growers, based in Boynton Beach, and distributed by Delray-based Fresh Start Produce Sales had been linked to more than two dozen illnesses across 15 states. At least nine people had been hospitalized.
The recalled cucumbers were sold directly to consumers at the three Bedner’s Farm Fresh Markets locations in Boynton Beach, Delray Beach and West Palm Beach, according to the Bedner’s recall notice.
Multi-state recall
Related recalls have been issued in response, affecting products sold at Walmart, Kroger, Roundy’s and Weis Market stores in several states.
Walmart recalled Marketside Fresh Cut Cucumber Slices sold in select Texas stores between May 13 and 20. The recalled cucumbers, sold in 1.5-pound packages, have UPC codes of 62969 and date codes up to May 24, 2025, according to the recall notice.
The agency recommends that restaurants, retailers and distributors notify customers of a possible health risk if potentially contaminated cucumbers were purchased between April 29 and May 19.
According to the FDA, 26 people in 15 states have been infected with salmonella, with nine hospitalized. Eleven of the 13 people interviewed in the investigation reported eating cucumbers, with the last illness reported on April 28. No deaths have been reported.
2024 outbreak
The FDA found that an environmental sample collected during an inspection in April at Bedner Growers tested positive for salmonella and matched recent clinical samples from sick individuals. The inspection was part of a follow-up from an investigation into a 2024 salmonella outbreak that infected 551 people and hospitalized 155 in 34 states and Washington, D.C.
That investigation, led by the FDA and the Centers for Disease Control, found Salmonella braenderup in samples of untreated canal water used by the grower.
Symptoms of salmonella, including diarrhea, fever, and abdominal cramps, usually begin showing up within 12 to 72 hours after eating contaminated food. At-risk individuals, such as children, the elderly and people with weakened immune systems, are likely to experience more severe symptoms.
