Untreated water used by a Florida cucumber grower is one likely source of salmonella food poisoning that sickened nearly 450 people across the U.S. this spring, federal health officials said Tuesday.
But that grower doesn’t account for all of the cucumber-related illnesses and 125 hospitalizations that were reported from late March through early June, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said.
Salmonella found in untreated canal water used by Bedner Growers Inc. of Boynton Beach, Florida, matched a strain of the bacteria that caused some of the illnesses in reported in more than 30 states and Washington, D.C. Additional types of salmonella were detected in soil and water samples collected at the site, FDA officials said.
Bedner Growers supplied Fresh Start Produce Sales of Delray Beach, Florida, which recalled crates of cucumbers in late May after the first illnesses were reported. Bedner Growers also supplied cucumbers to multiple places where ill people reported buying or eating the produce, FDA said.
The canal water was not applied to edible parts of the cucumber plants, but was used for subsoil watering, said Bedner Growers’ owner Steve Bedner. He added that it complies with federal rules and is “a common industry practice.”
Investigators originally said there were two outbreaks of salmonella possibly tied to cucumbers, but combined them into one because of several similarities, including the timing and the type of food. Nearly 70% of sick people interviewed reported eating cucumbers before they fell ill, the FDA said. The investigation is continuing.
Bedner Growers’ cucumber growing and harvesting season is over. There is no product from the farm remaining on the market, the FDA said, so there’s likely no ongoing risk to the public.
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Rephrased content:
Untreated water used by a cucumber grower in Florida is a probable cause of salmonella food poisoning that affected nearly 450 people in the U.S. this spring, according to federal health officials. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention stated that the grower, Bedner Growers Inc. of Boynton Beach, Florida, was linked to a strain of salmonella found in canal water used by the company.
While this particular grower accounted for some illnesses, it did not explain all the cases related to cucumbers, which led to 125 hospitalizations from late March to early June. The FDA found various strains of salmonella in soil and water samples taken at the Bedner Growers site, in addition to the matching strain from the canal water.
Fresh Start Produce Sales of Delray Beach, Florida, received supplies from Bedner Growers and initiated a recall of cucumber crates following the initial illness reports. Bedner Growers distributed cucumbers to several locations where affected individuals reported purchasing or consuming the produce. The grower’s owner, Steve Bedner, clarified that the canal water was used for subsoil watering, not on the edible parts of the cucumber plants, in compliance with federal regulations as a standard industry practice.
Initially, health investigators identified two salmonella outbreaks associated with cucumbers but later consolidated them due to similarities such as timing and food type. Approximately 70% of the affected individuals confirmed consuming cucumbers before falling ill, according to FDA interviews. The investigation remains ongoing.
The cucumber growing and harvesting season for Bedner Growers has ended, with no remaining farm products in circulation, ensuring no continuous public risk, FDA assured.
