Massachusetts Residents Sickened in Cucumber Salmonella Outbreak

Five people in Massachusetts and four in Rhode Island have reported falling ill after eating cucumbers believed to be contaminated with salmonella.

The June 2024 bacterial outbreak has sickened 162 people in 25 states altogether, leading to 54 hospitalizations, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. No deaths have been documented.

Fresh Start Produce Sales Inc. is recalling its whole cucumbers, which were sold in bulk to distributors in 14 states May 17-21 and then likely shipped to additional locations. The Florida-grown produce should no longer be in stores.

Get our free mobile app

The CDC said:

Epidemiologic data show that cucumbers may be contaminated with salmonella and may be making people sick. Testing identified salmonella in a cucumber collected as part of this investigation, which resulted in a recall. Further testing is underway to see if it is the same strain as the one making people sick. Investigators are also working to collect more information to see if other cucumbers are affected.

The recall does not include English cucumbers or mini cucumbers.

The CDC has several recommendations for concerned folks. First, the obvious: Don't eat recalled cucumbers. Wash items and surfaces that might have touched recalled cucumbers with hot soapy water.

Finally, call your doctor if you show severe salmonella symptoms: diahhrea and fever higher than 102 degrees Fahrenheit; unimproving diarrhea for more than three days; bloody diarrhea; inability to digest liquids due to frequent vomiting; signs of dehydration, sich as dry mouth and throat, dizziness when standing and not peeing much.

For most infected people, symptoms start six hours to six days after ingestion and they recover without treatment in about a week.

People younger than 5 and older than 65, along with people with weakened immune symptoms, may experience more severe symptoms.