Another update on the outbreak investigation of Salmonella in cucumbers (June 2024)

The FDA and CDC, in collaboration with state and local partners, investigated a multistate outbreak of Salmonella Africana and Salmonella Braenderup infections with 551 illnesses in 34 states and the District of Columbia (AL, AR, CA, CT, DE, DC, FL, GA, IL, IN, IA, KY, ME, MD, MA, MI, MN, MO, MS, NV, NJ, NY, NC, OH, OK, PA, RI, SC, TN, TX, VA, VT, WA, WI, and WV). As reported by CDC, this outbreak is over as of August 22, 2024. Laboratory, epidemiological, and traceback data have determined that cucumbers from Bedner Growers, Inc., of Boynton Beach, Florida, and Thomas Produce Company, of Boca Raton, Florida, are likely sources of illnesses in this outbreak. However, these growers do not account for all the illnesses in this outbreak. Bedner Growers, Inc.’s and Thomas Produce Company’s cucumber growing and harvesting season is over. There is no product from these farms on the market, and there is likely no ongoing risk to the public. FDA conducted an onsite inspection at Bender Growers, Inc. and Thomas Produce Company and collected samples. Salmonella Braenderup was detected in samples of canal water at both farms. WGS analysis determined that the water used by Thomas Produce Company contained Salmonella, which matches a strain of Salmonella Braenderup that caused some of the illnesses in this outbreak. The water used by Bedner Growers, Inc. also contained Salmonella, which was a match to a different strain of Salmonella Braenderup that caused some of the illnesses in this outbreak. Additional types of Salmonella were detected in both soil and water samples collected at Bedner Growers, Inc. and Thomas Produce Company. Multiple other strains of Salmonella, unrelated to this outbreak investigation, found at Bedner Growers, Inc. and Thomas Produce Company matched clinical isolates from illnesses in the National Center for Biotechnology Information’s (NCBI) database that occurred in 2024 and previous years.