CDC: Florida Cucumbers Linked To 25 State Salmonella Outbreak

DELRAY BEACH, Florida – The U.S. Center for Disease Control announced on Wednesday that it is investigating a link between contaminated Florida cumbers to a Salmonella outbreak that has sickened 162 people across 25 states.

State and local public health officials are interviewing people about the foods they ate in the week before they got sick. Of the 65 people interviewed, 47 (72%) reported eating cucumbers. 

Fresh Start Produce Sales Inc. of Delray Beach, Florida, announced a recall of whole cucumbers shipped in bulk cartons from May 17th through May 21st, 2024, directly 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.

The CDC says that the true number of sick people in this outbreak is likely much higher than the number reported, and the outbreak may not be limited to the states with known illnesses. 

This is because many people recover without medical care and are not tested for Salmonella. In addition, recent illnesses may not yet be reported as it usually takes 3 to 4 weeks to determine if a sick person is part of an outbreak.

This map shows where the 162 people in this Salmonella outbreak lived.