Thomas Produce Company (Boca Raton, FL) is a likely source of illnesses in a Salmonella outbreak that has sickened 449 individuals in 31 states and the District of Columbia, and has sent 125 people to hospital, according to an investigation update released today (August 14, 2024) by the US Food and Drug Administration.
Thomas is the second cucumber grower implicated in this outbreak. Earlier epidemiological and traceback investigations conducted by the FDA and the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) identified Bedner Growers, Inc. (Boynton Beach, FL) as a likely source of contaminated cucumbers.
The growing and harvesting season is over in this region, and none of the implicated cucumbers remain on the market.
No new illnesses have been reported to the CDC in recent weeks. The last illness onset date was June 4, 2024.
In an on-site inspection of Thomas Produce, the FDA recovered the outbreak strain of Salmonella Braenderup in samples of canal water used for irrigation. Multiple strains of Salmonella not linked to this outbreak also were found in soil and water samples collected at both Bedner Growers and Thomas Produce.
Salmonella strains recovered at Bedner Growers matched clinical isolates from illnesses reported in previous years.
Cucumbers supplied by these two growers do not account for all of the reported illnesses. The FDA is continuing its traceback investigations in an effort to identify additional sources of contaminated cucumbers.
CDC’s advice to consumers
Follow these four food safety steps to prevent getting sick from Salmonella.
- Clean: Wash your hands, utensils, and surfaces often. Rinse fruits and vegetables under running water before eating, cutting, or peeling.
- Separate: Keep food that won’t be cooked separate from raw meat, poultry, and seafood.
- Cook: Use a food thermometer to make sure you have cooked your food to a temperature high enough to kill germs.
- Chill: Refrigerate perishable food (food that goes bad) within 2 hours. If the outside temperature is hotter than 90°F, refrigerate within 1 hour. Thaw food in the refrigerator, not on the counter.
Call your healthcare provider if you have any of these severe Salmonella symptoms:
- Diarrhea and a fever higher than 102°F
- Diarrhea for more than 3 days that is not improving
- Bloody diarrhea
- So much vomiting that you cannot keep liquids down
- Signs of dehydration, such as:
- Not peeing much
- Dry mouth and throat
- Feeling dizzy when standing up
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