Salmonella outbreak linked to cucumbers sold to restaurants sickens 26 people, health officials warn

Federal health officials are warning of a multistate outbreak of salmonella linked to cucumbers that were sold to stores and restaurants.

A total of 26 people across 15 states have been sickened in the outbreak, with nine people hospitalized, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said in a May 19 statement.

No deaths have been reported.

The affected cucumbers were grown by Bedner Growers Inc. and distributed by Fresh Start Produce Inc. to retailers, restaurants and distributors between April 29, 2025, and May 19, 2025, according to the FDA.

The agency notes that cucumbers may have been sold with or without a label and may have been sold individually or in smaller packages.

Businesses are being advised by the FDA to not sell or serve whole cucumbers.

Consumers should throw away cucumbers at home if they cannot tell where they are from, the agency said this week. When eating out in the next week, consumers should ask if cucumbers were from Bedner Growers or Fresh Start Produce Sales Inc.

Bedner Growers Inc. was also one of the growers potentially linked to a multistate salmonella outbreak in cucumbers in 2024. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said at the time there was no product from Bedner Growers, Inc. on the market and likely no ongoing risk to the public.

Bedner Growers Inc., based in Boynton Beach, Florida, told ABC News in a statement Wednesday it initiated a voluntary recall of its cucumbers grown and shipped from April 29, 2025, to May 19, 2025, after learning some of its cucumbers may be linked by the FDA to a salmonella outbreak.

"Bedner's Farm Fresh Markets have already recalled and eliminated all possibly contaminated cucumbers at their retail markets in Boynton Beach, Delray Beach and West Palm Beach," the company said in a statement. "The current products you'll find today at the markets are completely unaffected by this recall. The produce which was shipped through our wholesale channels also is being recalled through the FDA processes."

The statement noted, "Salmonella is a serious health concern. Bedner Growers is extremely concerned about the safety of the products it grows."

A company spokesperson for Fresh Start Produce Inc., based in Delray Beach, Florida, told ABC News in a separate statement Wednesday, "Fresh Start Produce Sales is committed to protecting public health and helping Bedner Growers with its recall. The company is contacting its wholesale and regional distribution center customers to ask that they provide their customers with recall instructions, including notifying any consumer point-of-purchase locations."

The FDA said its investigation into the outbreak is ongoing.

What to know about salmonella

Salmonella are bacteria that cause about 1.35 million infections in the U.S. every year, with contaminated food as the source for most of these illnesses, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Salmonella is most often spread through food but can also spread through water, animals, people and other ways, the agency states.

Symptoms of a salmonella infection include abdominal pain, fever, headache, watery diarrhea that may also have blood or mucus, loss of appetite, nausea and vomiting.

"Symptoms usually start 6 hours to 6 days after infection and usually last 4 to 7 days," the CDC states.

Most people recover without treatment after four to seven days. Some, particularly children younger than 5 and adults 65 years and older, or people with weakened immune systems, may experience more severe illnesses that require medical treatment or hospitalization.

Tips to help prevent salmonella infection

The CDC recommends home cooks follow these four steps to help prevent getting sick from salmonella.

Clean: Wash your hands, utensils and surfaces often. Rinse fruits and vegetables under running water before eating, cutting or peeling.

Separate: Keep food that won't be cooked separate from raw meat, poultry and seafood.

Cook: Use a food thermometer to make sure you have cooked your food to atemperature high enough to kill germs.

Chill: Refrigerate perishable food (food that goes bad) within two hours. If the outside temperature is hotter than 90 degrees Fahrenheit, refrigerate within 1 hour. Thaw food in the refrigerator, not on the counter.