Salmonella Outbreak Linked to Cucumbers

Epidemiologic, traceback, and laboratory data show that cucumbers were contaminated with Salmonella and made people sick. Testing identified the Salmonella Braenderup strain in untreated canal water used by a grower in Florida. Cucumbers from this grower are no longer in season and any sold previously are no longer on shelves.

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.

• Most people infected with Salmonella experience diarrhea, fever, and stomach cramps.
  • Symptoms usually start 6 hours to 6 days after swallowing the bacteria.
  • Most people recover without treatment after 4 to 7 days.
• Some people—especially children younger than 5 years, adults 65 years and older, and people with weakened immune systems—may experience more severe illnesses that require medical treatment or hospitalization.
• For more information about Salmonella, see the Salmonella Questions and Answers page.