The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is cucumber outbreaks across the country, amid a sick salmonella outbreak in multiple states, which is an outbreak for multiple people.

On Monday, the FDA announced a recall of cucumbers grown by Bedner, South Florida, between April 29 and May 19.

The FDA said the new starting point sales distributed it to retailers, distribution centers, wholesalers and food service distributors nationwide, which made people sick from California to Kansas to New York — it’s unclear exactly where exactly might end up.

"Cucumbers may be sold separately or in smaller packaging, with or without labels that may not have the same brand, product name or best label," the agency said.

The related cucumber is associated with what the FDA calls a "polymorphic outbreak," a bacterial disease that affects the intestine.

As of Tuesday, cucumbers have illed 26 people, nine of whom need to be hospitalized, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

These cases are distributed in 15 states: Alabama, California, Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, North Carolina, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Tennessee and Virginia.

Investigators who conducted follow-up examinations in April collected environmental samples from Bedner growers, which were positive for the disease and matched recent clinical samples from those who were sick, the agency said.

"The FDA's retrospective investigation has identified Bedner Growers, Inc., a common grower of cucumbers in the current outbreak," it said.

Bedner growers said in a statement that salmonella is a "serious health problem", in which he said it is being cautious and not respected for public health. ”

Symptoms of Salmonella infection include diarrhea, fever, stomach cramps, and vomiting. They usually start 12 to 72 hours after eating contaminated food and can last four to seven days.

While many people usually recover on their own within a few days, diarrhea can lead to severe dehydration and require medical care.

Anyone with symptoms of a salmonella infection, especially after eating cucumbers, should report to their medical providers and seek care, the FDA said.

What should shoppers do?

The FDA and CDC are working with state and local authorities to investigate the outbreak. They warned that those who already have cucumbers in the refrigerator would steer cautiously.

"If you can't tell if the cucumber is grown by a Bedner grower, throw it away," the FDA said. "When dining out next week, ask if the cucumber is from a Bedner grower or the fresh Start Produce Sales, Inc.

Consumers, restaurants and retailers who have dealt with potentially contaminated cucumbers should carefully disinfect any surfaces or containers they may touch.

The FDA directs restaurants, retailers and distributors to purchase cucumbers between April 29 and May 19 to inform their customers of potential health issues and disinfect any areas including bulk bins.

Generally, the CDC recommends following several food safety tips to prevent food poisoning.

It advises people to wash their hands, cutlery and surfaces frequently. Rinse fruits and vegetables under running water before eating or peeling; keep foods that will not be cooked separately from raw meat and poultry; and refrigerate rottable foods for two hours - one hour if the temperature is above 90 degrees Fahrenheit. It says food should be thawed in the refrigerator, not on the countertop.

Food scientists tell NPR that using soap or letting it dip in a bowl of water is unnecessary and may even backfire when washing products. Peeling agricultural products may reduce the risk of consuming bacteria, but are not guaranteed.

Where will the cucumber be?

According to the FDA outbreak map, the states with the most reported disease are Bedner growers in Illinois, Ohio, North Carolina and Florida.

Some of the affected cucumbers were previously sold in three Florida states at the Farm Fresh Market in Bedner, the FDA said. Boynton Beach, Dela Beach and West Palm Beach.

A spokesman for Bedner Growers told NPR Wednesday that the farmers' market "has recalled and eliminated all possible contaminated cucumbers".

The company added: “The current products you find in the market today are completely unaffected by this recall.”

The FDA said people know that contaminated cucumbers can be offered “at restaurants and retail locations” and that they are still being tracked.

Fresh Start Facer Sales told NPR in an email that it “has notified all its affected wholesale and regional distribution center customers and asked them to provide customers with recall instructions, including immediate notification of any consumer locations at the purchase point, such as retail stores and restaurants.”

Products purchased by distributors, restaurants and retailers are marked as super, choice or plain, the FDA said.

How unusual was this outbreak?

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that salmonella causes about 1.35 million infections in the United States each year, mainly through contaminated food.

Salmonella infection is one of the main causes of foodborne diseases and is also hospitalization and death related to foodborne diseases. In the summer, higher temperatures and unfrozen foods are more common, the CDC says.

Raw meat, seafood and poultry, especially chicken, are a common culprit, and raw eggs are also eggs. However, fresh agricultural products can also cause infection when washed during water contaminated with salmonella.

In recent years, cucumbers have especially been the subject of several major Salmonella recalls. An outbreak in June 2024 ill 551 people in 34 states and Washington, D.C., and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recalled Mexican cucumbers in November after 68 people became ill.

In fact, the FDA finally determined that Bedner Growers were one of several possible sources of that summer outbreak, which is why it collected subsequent samples from the company last month.