Contaminated cucumbers sicken 5 people in Illinois and Indiana, CDC says

As a recall of cucumbers grown in South Florida expanded this week, NBC Chicago learned four people in Illinois and one person in Indiana are among those who have gotten sick from salmonella.

At least 45 people have gotten sick nationwide, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The recalls impact different companies using cucumbers that came from Bedner Growers Inc. in Boynton Beach, Florida. This week, the recall expanded to include salads produced by Isabella’s Kitchen and fresh cucumber and veggie trays from Supreme Produce.

In the Chicago area, the contaminated cucumbers and products containing the cucumbers were sold at Wal-Mart stores.

You can find a full list of the impacted products here.

Several people who fell ill ate cucumbers on cruise ships leaving ports in Florida, according to the CDC. Organic cucumbers are not affected, officials said.

The FDA advised restaurants, retailers and distributors that purchased the potentially contaminated recalled cucumbers between April 29, 2025, and May 19, 2025, to "notify their customers of the potential health concern."

How was the outbreak detected?

The outbreak was detected as part of a follow-up inspection in April to a 2024 outbreak that sickened 551 people and led to 155 hospitalizations in 34 states and Washington, D.C. In that outbreak, investigators found salmonella bacteria linked to many of the illnesses in untreated canal water used at farms operated by Bedner Growers and Thomas Produce Company.

In the current outbreak, officials found salmonella bacteria from samples on the farm that matched samples from people who got sick.

Retailers should notify consumers who may have bought the tainted produce. If consumers don't know the source of cucumbers, they should throw them away, officials said.

What symptoms should you watch for?

Common salmonella symptoms include diarrhea, fever, severe vomiting, dehydration and stomach cramps, with symptoms beginning anywhere from six hours to six days after ingesting the bacteria.

Most people infected recover within four-to-seven days without treatment, though some people, particularly children under the age of five years, adults 65 and older and individuals with weakened immune systems may experience more severe illness.

What to do if you think you have these cucumbers?

Consumers may be contacted by a retailer about the recalled cucumbers.

"If you cannot tell if your cucumber was grown by Bedner Growers, throw it away," the FDA suggested.

The agency also suggests that when eating out over the next week, check to see if the restaurant you are dining at has cucumbers purchased from Bedner Growers or Fresh Start Produce Sales, Inc.

"Contact your healthcare provider if you think you may have symptoms of a Salmonella infection after eating potentially contaminated cucumbers," the FDA said.

As for restaurants, retailers and distributors, he FDA recommends the following:

• If you suspect you purchased potentially contaminated recalled cucumbers between April 29 and May 19, you should should notify customers of the potential health concern.
• Carefully clean and sanitize any surfaces or containers that it touched.