19 New Jerseyans sickened in multi-state salmonella outbreak, CDC says

🔴 Almost 450 people in 31 states fell ill from contaminated cucumbers, CDC says

🔴 19 of those illnesses was in New Jersey

🔴 The tainted cukes came from two growers in Florida

An update on a multi-state salmonella outbreak linked to cucumbers has been issued by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention.

The CDC said there are now 449 reported illnesses in 31 states, including New Jersey, and the District of Columbia, and 125 hospitalizations reportedly linked to the contaminated cukes.

Nineteen of those illnesses were listed in the Garden State, according to the CDC.

Zero deaths were reported.

Aside from New Jersey, the CDC said that sicknesses have also been reported in the following states — Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Vermont, Washington and Wisconsin.

The cucumbers tainted with salmonella may have been exposed to untreated canal water by a grower in South Florida, the CDC reported.

The investigation began on June 5, 2024 as two separate outbreaks. However, the CDC and the Food and Drug Administration combined these two outbreak investigations as they shared several similarities, including when and where the illnesses occurred, the demographics of ill people, and the foods they reported eating before falling ill.

Testing determined that the cucumbers from Bedner Growers, Inc., of Boynton Beach, Florida, and Thomas Produce Company, of Boca Raton, Florida are the likely sources of illnesses in these outbreaks.

The cucumbers from both of the growers are no longer in season, and therefore, they are no longer on store shelves, the CDC explained.

The most common symptoms of salmonella include diarrhea, fever and stomach cramps. Symptoms usually start six hours to six days after swallowing the bacteria, and most people recover without treatment after four to seven days, according to the CDC.

To prevent getting sick from salmonella, people should wash their hands, utensils and surfaces often. Rinse fruits and vegetables under running water before eating, cutting, or peeling.

Keep food that won’t be cooked separately from raw meat, poultry, and seafood. Use a food thermometer to make sure the food is cooked to a temperature high enough to kill germs. Refrigerate perishable food within two hours. Thaw food in the fridge, not the counter.

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