Palm Beach grower linked again to cucumber salmonella outbreak in several states
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Tuesday issued a recall alert concerning salmonella and cucumbers grown by a Palm Beach County grower.
The same grower was linked to an outbreak in several states last summer. That 2024 salmonella outbreak sickened more than 500 people in several states, including Florida.
On Monday, Bedner Growers Inc. of Boynton Beach voluntarily recalled cucumbers sold at Bedner’s Farm Fresh Market between April 29 and May 14, 2025, because they have the potential to be contaminated with salmonella, an organism that can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems, according to the FDA notice.
Where were the cucumbers sold?
The recalled cucumbers were sold directly to consumers at the three Bedner’s Farm Fresh Markets locations in Boynton Beach, Delray Beach and West Palm Beach.
Additionally, the cukes were distributed nationwide to retailers and restaurants, distribution centers and wholesalers and food service distributors by Fresh Start Produce Sales, based in Delray Beach. That produce company was also the distributor last July.
Where have people gotten sick?
The recalled cucumbers have been linked by the FDA to a salmonella outbreak currently resulting in 26 illnesses in 15 states. There have been no deaths related to the recalled cucumbers as of the May 20 alert.
The states are: Florida, Alabama, California, Colorado, Illinois, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, North Carolina, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia.
The “FDA is aware that contaminated product is available at both restaurant and retail locations. FDA is working to determine where potentially contaminated product was distributed. This advisory will be updated as needed,” the agency said in its alert.
This recall doesn’t include cucumbers currently available for sale at Bedner’s Farm Fresh Markets after May 14 or any other of its agricultural products, the FDA said. All cucumbers available for sale at Bedner’s markets were not grown by Bedner Growers “as the company is no longer producing, packing, or selling any cucumbers because the growing season has concluded.”
Fresh Start, the wholesale distributor, has been directed to contact its customers with recall instructions, the FDA said Tuesday.
What should you do?
Because the recalled cucumbers lack labeling such as stickers, customers should discard and not eat any cucumbers purchased at the Bedner Markets between April 29 and May 14.
“If you cannot tell if your cucumber was grown by Bedner Growers, throw it away,” the FDA said. “When eating out over the next week, ask if cucumbers were from Bedner Growers or Fresh Start Produce Sales.”
Consumers who have purchased the recalled products can get more information by calling Bedner Growers at 866-222-9180 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.
What is salmonella?
Salmonella is one of the most common foodborne illnesses, affecting about 1.35 million people in the United States annually, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
About 26,500 of those who consume food tainted by salmonella are hospitalized. About 420 of the 1.35 million can die, according to the CDC.
Symptoms include fever, diarrhea (sometimes bloody), nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain. In rare circumstances, infection can enter the bloodstream and lead to arterial infections, endocarditis and arthritis.
This story was originally published May 20, 2025 at 5:08 PM with the headline "Palm Beach grower linked again to cucumber salmonella outbreak in several states."
