These Cucumbers Sold in Illinois Could Make You Seriously Sick

A new outbreak of serious illness has been linked to tainted cucumbers sold across multiple states, including in Illinois, where many individuals have already reported being sick following consumption.

If you're like me, and love cucumbers, you need to heed this warning. Cucumbers might be my favorite vegetable. Few foods are actively refreshing while you eat them. A cucumber straight from the fridge, maybe with a pinch of salt, is a delight in itself. Many times I've eaten an entire English cucumber in one sitting. I absolutely love them.

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What Cucumbers are Impacted:

All that being said, cucumbers grown by a Florida-based grower have been linked to an ongoing outbreak of salmonella illness. The company is Bedner Growers, and the cucumbers are distributed by Fresh Start Produce Sales. The companies have been linked to illnesses in at least 26 people in 15 states, per the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) this week.

As of this writing, at least nine people have been hospitalized with no deaths reported. Illinois is among the states reporting illnesses.

Photo Credits: Canva

Where Were the Affected Cucumbers Sold?:

The tainted cucumbers were sold to restaurants, stores, and food service distributors alike between April 29th and May 19th, and as of this week, might still be within their shelf life. Illnesses have been reported between April 2nd and April 28th, per the CDC.

Per NBC 5 Chicago, the outbreak was spotted during a follow-up inspection in April to a 2024 outbreak that resulted in 551 people getting sick, which then led to 155 hospitalizations across 34 states. That outbreak was caused by salmonella bacteria linked to untreated canal water used at farms operated by Bedner Growers and Thomas Produce Company.

At this time, it's not known where the contaminated cucumbers were distributed amidst this outbreak. Some individuals got sick from eating cucumbers on cruise ships in ports in Florida. Organic cucumbers, however, are not affected, per the CDC.

Bottom line: if you don't know the source of the cucumbers you recently purchased, you should throw them away.

What is Salmonella?:

Salmonella can cause a barrage of symptoms, including diarrhea, fever, vomiting, dehydration, and stomach cramps. Symptoms can begin anywhere from six hours to six days, and most recover within four-to-seven days without treatment.