The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have issued a cucumber recall after 449 people across 31 states and Washington D.C. were sickened by cucumbers contaminated with Salmonella bacteria.
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On Wednesday, the CDC announced they had been investigating the outbreak since June, and 125 individuals were hospitalized, but no deaths were reported. According to NBC News, the agency reported that the number of cases may be significantly higher since not all illnesses are reported. However, they emphasize that there are no longer any contaminated cucumbers on store shelves, and the risk to the public has likely been reduced.
The FDA has confirmed the presence of Salmonella strains in untreated canal water near Bedner Growers Inc., a farm in Palm Beach, Florida. However, they clarified that the company is not solely responsible for all the cases linked to the outbreak.
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Another Palm Beach-based farm, Thomas Produce Co., was identified as having supplied cucumbers connected to the outbreak. However, the company denied any direct link between its products and illnesses. In a letter to customers dated August 14, the company explained that a matching strain of Salmonella was found in a water sample from an irrigation canal on one of its farms, its packed products and packing facility tested negative for Salmonella Braenderup and any other strains.
“At Thomas Produce Company, our commitment to food safety is our top priority. We continuously monitor our production processes, follow best practices, and comply with all regulatory requirements.”