A salmonella outbreak traced to cucumbers grown by Bedner Growers in Florida has now sickened at least 45 people across 18 states, federal health officials reported on May 30, 2025. The outbreak has led to 16 hospitalizations, though no deaths have been recorded so far.
Q: What is Salmonella Montevideo?
A: Salmonella Montevideo is a bacterial strain causing foodborne illness, often linked to contaminated poultry and produce, leading to symptoms like diarrhea, fever, and abdominal cramps.
The contaminated cucumbers were distributed between April 29 and May 19 to grocery stores, restaurants, hospitals, and cruise ships, including major retailers like Target and Walmart. Target recently expanded its recall to include a variety of cucumber-containing products such as Greek-style salads and sushi rolls marketed under the Mai brand. Walmart also recalled its Marketside cucumber slices amid the outbreak.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) are investigating the outbreak, which primarily involves the Salmonella Montevideo strain. However, multiple other salmonella strains have been detected in samples from a Pennsylvania distribution center linked to Bedner Growers. These additional strains are currently under investigation to determine if they are connected to this outbreak.
The affected states include Alabama, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Massachusetts, North Carolina, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia. Nearly one-third of the cases have been reported in Georgia and Florida.
Notably, eight of the sickened individuals had recently been on six different cruise ships departing from Florida ports between late March and mid-April, suggesting the outbreak’s reach extends beyond land-based distribution.
Symptoms of salmonella infection include diarrhea, fever, abdominal cramps, and dehydration. While most healthy individuals recover within a week, young children, the elderly, and immunocompromised persons are at higher risk for severe illness.
This outbreak follows a similar incident in 2024 linked to Bedner Growers, which sickened over 550 people and led to 155 hospitalizations. That earlier outbreak was traced to untreated canal water used on the farms.
Health officials urge consumers to discard any cucumbers or cucumber-containing products from the recalled batches and to remain vigilant for symptoms. The FDA and CDC continue to monitor the situation closely as investigations proceed.
