Salmonella Cucumbers cause Outbreaks and Lawsuits

We filed a Salmonella Cucumber Lawsuit yesterday

https://www.marlerblog.com/files/2026/03/COMPLAINT-show_temp.pl_.pdf

2025 Cucumber Salmonella Outbreak

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and state partners investigated a multistate outbreak of Salmonella Montevideo infections in the spring of 2025. The outbreak was assigned CDC Outbreak Code 2505MLJIX-1.

A total of 69 people infected with the outbreak strain of Salmonella was reported from 21 states (Al (1), CA (1), CO (1), FL (7), GA (10), IL (5), IN (1), KS (1), KY (1), MA (3), MD (1), MI (2), MS (1), NC (4), NJ (3), NY (4), NJ (3), NY (4), OH (6), PA (7), SC (6), TN (1), VA (3)). Dates of illness onset ranged from April 2, 2025, to May 29, 2025. Of the 60 people with information available, 22 were hospitalized. No deaths were reported.  Cases ranged from 1 to 89 years of age (median age 54 years). Seventy-four percent (74%) of cases were female.

State and local public health officials interviewed people about the foods they ate in the week before they got sick. Of the 35 people interviewed, 29 (83%) reported eating cucumbers. This percentage was significantly higher than the 50% of respondents who reported eating cucumbers in the FoodNet Population Survey – a survey that helps estimate how often people eat various foods linked to diarrheal illness. This difference suggests that people in this outbreak got sick from eating cucumbers.

Public health investigators used the PulseNet system to identify illnesses that were part of this outbreak. CDC PulseNet manages a national database of DNA fingerprints of bacteria that cause foodborne illnesses. Whole Genome Sequencing (WGS) showed that bacteria from sick people’s samples were closely related genetically. This suggests that people in this outbreak got sick from the same food.

People reported buying and eating cucumbers from a variety of locations including grocery stores, restaurants, hospitals, and on cruise ships. FDA’s traceback investigation identified Bedner Growers Inc. as the common grower of cucumbers in this outbreak.

The outbreak strain of Salmonella was identified by FDA in cucumber samples collected from a distribution center in Pennsylvania. Another Salmonella strain was identified from the samples taken at the distribution center linked to some illnesses from a 2024 outbreak.

On May 19, 2025, Bedner Growers, Inc. issued a recall of whole fresh cucumbers sold at Bedner’s Farm Fresh Market between April 29, 2025, and May 14, 2025, because of potential contamination with Salmonella. Subsequently, many companies recalled whole fresh cucumbers grown by Bedner Growers, Inc., or foods made with them.  See Bedner Growers, Inc. Recalls Cucumbers Because of Possible Health Risk | FDA The recalled cucumbers also were sold to a wholesale distributor.

Epidemiologic and traceback data showed that cucumbers grown by Bedner Growers, Inc. were contaminated with Salmonella and made people sick. The outbreak was declared over on June 30, 2025, and the investigation was closed.  See Outbreak Investigation of Salmonella: Cucumbers (May 2025) | FDA, see also Salmonella Outbreak Linked to Whole Cucumbers | Salmonella Infection | CDC.

2024 Cucumber Salmonella Outbreak

In 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. As reported by CDC, as of August 22, 2024, this outbreak is over.

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.

FDA conducted an onsite inspection at both Bedner Growers, Inc. and Thomas Produce Company and collected samples. Salmonella Braenderup was detected in samples of canal water at both farms. Whole Genome Sequencing analysis determined that the water used by Thomas Produce Company contained Salmonella that is a match to a strain of Salmonella Braenderup that caused some of the illnesses in this outbreak. Additionally, as previously reported, the water used by Bedner Growers, Inc. also contained Salmonella that was a match to a different strain of Salmonella Braenderup that caused some of the illnesses in this outbreak.

Republished with permission from Bill Marler and Marler Clark. Copyright (c) Marler Clark LLP, PS. All rights reserved.

Source: https://www.marlerblog.com/case-news/salmonella-cucumbers-cause-outbreaks-and-lawsuits/