More Than 150 People Sickened in Salmonella Outbreak Possibly Linked to Cucumbers

• More than 150 people across 25 states and D.C. have been sickened by Salmonella infections, possibly linked to contaminated cucumbers, the FDA said.
• Whole cucumbers sold in 14 states have been recalled in response to the outbreak.
• Salmonella infections are common and relatively mild for most people, but in certain groups, they can lead to severe illness.

Cucumbers sold in 14 states have been recalled over their possible connection to a multistate Salmonella outbreak, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) shared on Wednesday.¹

As of June 4, 162 people across 25 states and the District of Columbia have been infected with Salmonella Africana—of the 65 people interviewed, 47 (72%) reported eating cucumbers.

To aid in the FDA- and CDC-led outbreak investigation, officials at the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture collected and tested samples of cucumbers sold across the state. The investigators determined that one sample, provided by Florida-based company Fresh Start Produce Sales, Inc., had the presence of Salmonella.

The positive test prompted Fresh Start Produce Sales, Inc. to voluntarily recall cucumbers grown in Florida. The possibly contaminated cucumbers were shipped in bulk cartons from May 17 through May 21 to retail distribution centers, wholesalers, and food service distributors in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Maryland, North Carolina, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia.²

The cucumbers are “dark green, approximately 1.5 to 2 inches in diameter, and 5 to 9 inches long,” the FDA said, noting that mini cucumbers and English cucumbers distributed by the company are not included in the recall.²

According to the FDA’s recall notice, the cucumbers are likely no longer being sold in the marketplace, and the grower of the potentially contaminated cucumbers is no longer growing and harvesting cucumbers for the season.

“There is nothing more important to Fresh Start Produce Sales than consumer health and safety. Last week, when learning of the issue, we immediately asked our customers to remove any inventory from the marketplace,” a Fresh Start Produce Sales, Inc. company spokesperson told Health. “[The cucumbers] have a 10–12 day shelf life. So, while it is unlikely that the cucumbers are available for sale or in consumers’ kitchens, if consumers are in doubt, they should not consume the recalled product.”

Customers who think they may have purchased the potentially contaminated cucumbers should throw them away or return them for a refund.²

If you live in one of the impacted states and are unsure if you have a recalled cucumber, the FDA recommends checking in with the store where you purchased the vegetable to see if the recalled produce was sold there.²

Why Is Salmonella Contamination Concerning?

In addition to the outbreak of Salmonella Africana infections potentially linked to cucumbers, the CDC and FDA are investigating an outbreak of Salmonella Braenderup infections, which have sickened 158 people in 23 states. Though the outbreaks are similar, it’s unclear if they’re linked.

Salmonella can be found in foods such as raw poultry, meat, and eggs, which is why it’s so important to cook these foods properly and kill any potential bacteria before eating them.³ But since they’re usually eaten raw, contaminated fruits and vegetables may be more likely to get people sick.

In this specific instance, the FDA didn’t share how the cucumbers became contaminated with Salmonella. But the bacteria can get into vegetables through irrigation water, along with many other points in the food growing and processing chain, Darin Detwiler, PhD, author and associate teaching professor of food policy at Northeastern University, told Health. Research shows that contaminated irrigation water is one of the main ways Salmonella ends up in fresh produce.⁴

Ingesting contaminated food can lead to a Salmonella infection, also known as salmonellosis. There are about 1.35 million cases in the U.S. each year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).⁵

While many cases of salmonellosis are mild, causing diarrhea, fever, and stomach pain that can last for about a week, the infection can also cause some people to become seriously ill or even die. Young people, older adults, and those who are immunocompromised are at the greatest risk of having more severe Salmonella infections.⁵

Since Fresh Start Produce Sales did not provide a lot code or product code in conjunction with this recall, it’s difficult to identify the potentially-contaminated cucumbers. If you’re vulnerable to getting a severe Salmonella infection, or just don’t feel like risking it, Detwiler said a “safe approach” is to avoid cucumbers if you live in one of the impacted states, particularly “until more information becomes available.”

To lower your risk of a Salmonella infection, the CDC recommends following good food safety habits—including cleaning hands and utensils, separating raw meat from other foods, cooking food to safe temperatures, and storing food at a cold temperature.⁶ In the case of raw produce, the best way to avoid salmonellosis is to pay attention to food recalls. Detwiler also recommended buying produce from trusted suppliers, and washing produce thoroughly under running water before eating.