BOYNTON BEACH, Fla. — Two farms in Florida that distribute cucumbers nationwide are believed to be sources of a multi-state salmonella outbreak that has sickened hundreds of people, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
After months of investigation and collecting data, the CDC and U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) were able to trace the outbreak to cucumbers that were contaminated with salmonella.
Between March 11 and June 4, at least 449 people from 31 states and Washington, D.C. have been sickened by one of two salmonella strains. To date, at least 125 people have been hospitalized due to their illness. No deaths have been reported.
Local and state public health officials interviewed people about what they were eating before they got sick. Of those questioned, 69 percent of people reported eating cucumbers. More research determined bacteria that infected people were the same, meaning the source of the illness pointed to the same food people were eating.
From there, researchers were able to trace many of the contaminated cucumbers back to two farms in Florida — Bedner Growers, Inc. in Boynton Beach and Thomas Produce Company in Boca Raton. The CDC said multiple types of salmonella were detected in both soil and water samples taken from both farms, including the two strains responsible for making people sick.
While researchers believe these farms are "likely sources" in this outbreak, the growers don't account for all illnesses linked to the outbreak.
Because cucumber growing and harvesting season is over in Florida, the CDC says there isn't expected to be an ongoing risk to the public from these two farms.