The Florida Department of Agriculture (FDOA) has disputed the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) claim that cucumbers from Bedner Growers are a likely source of a salmonella outbreak. FreshPlaza reported on the case last week.
The FDOA criticized the FDA's tracing efforts as "at best inaccurate, and at worst misleading." Despite the FDA's findings, based on soil and water samples, local officials and growers have expressed scepticism. State Rep. Rick Roth, a vegetable farmer, questioned the likelihood of a salmonella issue in South Florida's agricultural operations.
The FDOA's head of food safety also challenged the FDA's conclusions, labelling the science behind them as "inaccurate, unsubstantiated" and harmful to the implicated firm.
The outbreak is reported to have affected nearly 450 individuals across 31 states. However, the FDA has indicated that the threat posed by the contaminated cucumbers has ended, as the produce in question has been removed from the market.
Source: wptv.com