Federal health authorities have identified untreated water used by a cucumber grower in Florida as a likely source of a salmonella outbreak that affected nearly 450 individuals across the United States this spring. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) noted that the outbreak, which led to 125 hospitalizations from late March through early June, could not be solely attributed to this grower.
Salmonella matching the outbreak strain was found in untreated canal water at Bedner Growers Inc. in Boynton Beach, Florida, with additional salmonella types detected in soil and water samples. Bedner Growers, which supplied Fresh Start Produce Sales in Delray Beach, Florida, implemented a recall of cucumber crates in late May following initial illness reports.
The FDA highlighted that the canal water was utilized for subsoil watering, a method not directly involving the edible parts of the cucumber plants and considered a common industry practice. Despite initial assumptions of two separate outbreaks, investigations merged them into one due to similarities in timing and the implicated food, with a significant portion of affected individuals reporting cucumber consumption prior to illness. With Bedner Growers' cucumber season concluded and no remaining products on the market, the FDA indicates no ongoing risk to the public. The investigation is ongoing.
Source: abcnews.go.com