Salmonella Strikes Again: Florida Cucumber Grower at Center of Multi-State Outbreak

A recurring nightmare has become reality for federal health officials as a dangerous strain of Salmonella spreads across the country, linked to cucumbers from a Florida grower with a troubling history of contamination issues. The outbreak has sickened dozens, hospitalized nearly a third of victims, and triggered widespread product recalls across 15 states.

The current outbreak of Salmonella Montevideo has been definitively traced to Bedner Growers in Boynton Beach, Florida, according to multiple federal agencies. The contamination has affected consumers from cruise ship passengers to grocery shoppers, with the bacteria's genetic fingerprint providing investigators an unmistakable link to the source.

Most concerning to public health officials: this isn't Bedner's first encounter with dangerous pathogens. The company was previously implicated in Salmonella outbreaks, raising serious questions about agricultural practices, regulatory oversight, and the safety of America's produce supply chain.

Anatomy of an Outbreak

As of May 28, 2025, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has confirmed 26 cases of Salmonella Montevideo infection linked to the consumption of cucumbers distributed by Bedner Growers. Nine patients have required hospitalization, though thankfully no deaths have been reported.

The victims span an extraordinary age range—from 1 year old to over 90—and are scattered across 15 states, demonstrating the vast distribution network that moved the contaminated produce throughout the country.

"What makes this outbreak particularly concerning is both its geographic spread and the high percentage of cases directly linked to cucumber consumption," said a CDC epidemiologist involved in the investigation who requested anonymity because they weren't authorized to speak publicly. "When 80% of patients report consuming a specific food compared to a baseline of 55% in the general population, that's a significant statistical signal."

The timeline of the outbreak suggests contamination occurred sometime in April, with cases beginning to appear in late April and continuing through mid-May. The FDA and CDC issued their first alerts on May 8, 2025, after Whole Genome Sequencing (WGS) confirmed the genetic match between patient samples and environmental samples collected at Bedner Growers.

Cucumbers from the implicated lots were sold between April 29 and May 19, 2025, primarily distributed through Fresh Start Produce Sales in Delray Beach, Florida. However, the extensive distribution network means potentially contaminated cucumbers reached consumers through multiple channels, including cruise ships, major grocery chains, and food service establishments.

Cruise Ship Connection Reveals Distribution Breadth

In an unusual twist that helped investigators identify the scope of the outbreak, seven of the confirmed cases were passengers aboard cruise ships that departed from Florida ports.

"Five different cruise lines reported passengers who became ill after consuming fresh cucumbers served onboard," according to the CDC's May 19 update. These passengers had traveled on cruises originating from Florida ports between early and late April, providing investigators with crucial information about the timeline and distribution channels of the contaminated produce.

The cruise ship connection underscores the complex web of distribution that modern produce follows from farm to table. Cucumbers harvested at Bedner Growers were not only packaged for retail sale but also supplied to food service operations that provision cruise ships, highlighting the challenge of containing contaminated products once they enter the supply chain.

"When we see an outbreak affecting both retail and food service channels, including cruise ships, it tells us we're dealing with a primary contamination at the source rather than mishandling further down the supply chain," explained a food safety expert at the FDA who spoke on condition of anonymity.

Genetic Detective Work: How Science Cracked the Case

The breakthrough in the investigation came through advanced molecular detection techniques that have revolutionized foodborne illness investigations in recent years.

Whole Genome Sequencing (WGS), first deployed in this investigation on May 8, provided investigators with genetic fingerprints of the Salmonella bacteria isolated from patients. When these were compared to environmental samples collected at Bedner Growers during an FDA inspection, the match was unmistakable.

"WGS gives us the equivalent of a DNA fingerprint for bacteria," explained Dr. Robert Williams, a microbiologist specializing in foodborne pathogens at the University of Florida (not directly involved in the investigation). "When we see the same genetic sequence in patient samples and environmental samples, it provides compelling evidence of the contamination source."

The FDA's environmental sampling at Bedner Growers revealed not only the outbreak strain of Salmonella Montevideo but also two additional Salmonella strains—Africana and Braenderup—suggesting persistent contamination issues at the facility.

"Finding multiple Salmonella strains in a growing environment is a red flag," Williams noted. "It suggests systemic problems rather than a one-time contamination event."

Further investigation revealed Salmonella Braenderup in a nearby canal, raising questions about potential contamination from raw sewage or agricultural runoff affecting the growing fields.

A Pattern of Problems: Bedner's Troubled History

This isn't the first time Bedner Growers has been implicated in foodborne illness outbreaks. According to CDC and FDA records, the company was linked to previous Salmonella outbreaks in 2024 that sickened hundreds of consumers.

The recurrence of contamination issues at the same facility raises serious questions about agricultural practices, regulatory oversight, and the effectiveness of corrective actions implemented after previous outbreaks.

"When we see repeated outbreaks linked to the same producer, it suggests fundamental problems with their food safety systems," said food safety attorney Bill Marler, who has represented victims of numerous foodborne illness outbreaks. "Either the corrective actions weren't adequate, or they weren't properly implemented."

According to The Packer, a produce industry publication, environmental sampling conducted at Bedner Growers in April 2024 as follow-up to previous contamination events had already identified Salmonella Africana and other strains in the growing environment—more than a year before the current outbreak.

This timeline suggests that despite known contamination issues, the company continued operations without successfully addressing the underlying problems.

In response to the current outbreak, Bedner Growers has reportedly "concluded its operational growth" and is not currently selling or producing cucumbers, according to company statements. However, the company has not responded to requests for comment on this article.

Widespread Recalls as Retailers Respond

As the investigation progressed, numerous retailers and food service companies issued recalls for products containing fresh cucumbers sourced from Bedner Growers.

Major grocery chains including Walmart and Albertsons pulled potentially contaminated products from shelves. The recalls extended beyond whole cucumbers to include prepared foods such as salads, submarine sandwiches, and sushi that incorporated the implicated cucumbers.

"The cascade of secondary recalls we're seeing demonstrates how a single contaminated ingredient can affect dozens of downstream products," explained Dr. Jennifer Quinlan, a food microbiologist at Drexel University. "Modern food distribution networks are incredibly efficient at moving produce across the country, but that same efficiency can spread contamination widely before it's detected."

The FDA has warned that despite the recalls and Bedner's cessation of operations, contaminated cucumbers may still be circulating due to the product's shelf life and the time lag between distribution and discovery of the outbreak.

"Consumers should check their refrigerators and discard any cucumbers that might have come from the affected source," the FDA advised in its May 23 update. "When in doubt, throw it out."

The Human Toll: Understanding Salmonellosis

For the 26 confirmed victims of this outbreak, the consequences have been far from trivial. Salmonella infection typically causes fever, diarrhea, and abdominal cramps that begin between 7 hours and 3 days after exposure and can last up to a week.

While many healthy adults recover without specific treatment, the infection can be severe or even life-threatening for vulnerable populations, including young children, elderly individuals, and those with compromised immune systems.

"The hospitalization rate in this outbreak—approximately 35%—is higher than we typically see with Salmonella," noted an infectious disease specialist consulted for this article. "That could reflect either the virulence of this particular strain or the fact that many cases involved vulnerable individuals."

For those hospitalized, treatment typically involves rehydration and, in severe cases, antibiotics. However, even after recovery, some patients may experience long-term health effects, including reactive arthritis or irritable bowel syndrome.

"People often dismiss foodborne illness as just a 'stomach bug,' but the consequences can be serious and lasting," said Marler. "I've represented clients who developed chronic health problems after Salmonella infections that seemed relatively mild at first."

Regulatory Gaps and Industry Responsibilities

The recurring nature of contamination issues at Bedner Growers raises questions about the effectiveness of food safety regulations and their enforcement.

Under the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA), produce growers are required to implement preventive controls and good agricultural practices to minimize contamination risks. However, critics argue that enforcement remains inconsistent and that the regulatory framework contains significant gaps.

"The fact that a grower with previous contamination issues could continue operating without successfully addressing those problems points to weaknesses in our regulatory system," said Dr. Michael Osterholm, director of the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy at the University of Minnesota.

Industry experts note that cucumber production presents particular challenges for food safety. The vegetables grow in close contact with soil, are often hand-harvested, and are frequently consumed raw without a kill step that would eliminate pathogens.

"Cucumbers, like other fresh produce items that are typically consumed raw, require stringent preventive controls throughout the supply chain," explained Dr. Quinlan. "Water quality, worker hygiene, field sanitation, and post-harvest handling all play critical roles in preventing contamination."

The presence of Salmonella in a nearby canal suggests that water management may have been a factor in this outbreak. Agricultural water can become contaminated through various means, including wildlife intrusion, agricultural runoff, or inadequate wastewater treatment in nearby communities.

Looking Forward: Prevention and Protection

As the investigation continues and recalls proceed, attention is turning to preventing similar outbreaks in the future.

"This outbreak demonstrates the importance of robust environmental monitoring programs at produce operations," said a former FDA official who now consults on food safety. "Regular testing of growing environments, particularly after previous contamination events, is essential for identifying and addressing risks before products reach consumers."

For consumers, the outbreak serves as a reminder of the importance of food safety practices in the home. While responsibility for preventing contamination primarily lies with producers and regulators, consumers can take steps to protect themselves:

• Wash hands thoroughly before and after handling fresh produce
• Rinse produce under running water before consuming
• Scrub firm produce like cucumbers with a clean produce brush
• Refrigerate cut produce promptly
• Avoid cross-contamination between produce and raw meat or poultry

However, experts emphasize that consumer precautions are a last line of defense, not a substitute for rigorous safety measures throughout the supply chain.

"We can't wash away all contamination," Dr. Osterholm noted. "Prevention has to start at the farm level and continue through processing, distribution, and retail."

A System Under Scrutiny

The Bedner Growers outbreak is just the latest in a series of produce-related foodborne illness incidents that have raised questions about the safety of America's fresh produce supply.

In recent years, outbreaks linked to romaine lettuce, onions, peaches, and now cucumbers have sickened thousands of consumers nationwide. Each incident has prompted calls for stronger regulations, more frequent inspections, and better traceability systems.

"Our food safety system is reactive rather than truly preventive," argued Marler. "Too often, we identify problems only after people get sick, rather than catching them before contaminated products reach consumers."

The FDA's New Era of Smarter Food Safety initiative aims to address some of these concerns through enhanced traceability, stronger predictive analytics, and new business models for food safety. However, implementation remains a work in progress.

As the investigation into the Bedner Growers outbreak continues, it serves as a stark reminder of both the progress made in detecting and responding to foodborne illness outbreaks and the significant challenges that remain in preventing them in the first place.

For the 26 confirmed victims—and potentially others who may have experienced milder illness without seeking medical attention—this outbreak isn't just a public health statistic. It's a painful reminder of the invisible risks that can lurk in even the freshest, most wholesome-appearing foods.

As one food safety expert put it: "Every outbreak is a failure of prevention. Our goal should be making these investigations unnecessary because the contamination never occurred in the first place."