More than a tossed salad ingredient, cucumbers have just taken a grim turn into the dark side, giving at least two dozen people a free ticket to illness, with nine ending up in the hospital. This unexpected health crisis was triggered by a nationwide salmonella outbreak as reported by both the CDC and FDA on May 23.

Bedner Growers of Boynton Beach, Florida, was in the middle of this crunchy debacle, triggering a voluntary recall of cucumbers from three Florida selling points: Boynton Beach, Delray Beach, and West Palm Beach. What's more, Fresh Start Produce Sales, the distributor of these potential agents of doom from April 29 to May 19, 2025, wasn't limited to Florida alone – it spanned across the nation.

Salmonella, that friendly bacteria that loves to crash the party in your digestive tract causing illness, particularly in children, elders, and those with compromised immune systems, is the culprit behind the scourge. It hitched a ride on cucumbers that may have been sold solo or bundled in smaller packages, with or without a Bedner Growers tag.

If the cucumber you cradle in your hands looks suspicious, you're better off trashing it, says CDC. And if your surfaces have entered a romantic tango with these cucumbers, best to wash or sanitize them ASAP.

A slew of grocery biggies, including Harris Teeter, Kroger, Walmart, and Publix have yanked specific cucumber products off their shelves. Even sushi products bearing the labels Snowfruit or Snowfox in sixteen states have taken the hit. For a full list of these products and additional items made using these potentially harmful cucumbers (like subs, wraps, paninis, and salsa), you should swing by the FDA's website.

Salmonella symptoms are akin to a sort of stomach bug and may include diarrhea, fever, stomach cramps, nausea, vomiting, chills, headache and sometimes bloody stool. So, if your tummy troubles last more than a few days, if you play host to a high fever or bloody stool, or if your body is a desert in terms of fluids, it's time to get some medical assistance.

For most healthy folk, a battle with salmonella should end in a few days to a week, sans treatment. However, if your immune system is low or the infection finds its way into your bloodstream, you may need antibiotics to join the fight.