At least 41 sickened in Salmonella, E. coli outbreak linked to sprouts

At least 41 individuals have contracted a Salmonella and E. coli infection due to contaminated alfalfa sprouts, according to federal health officials. The outbreak has affected people across 15 states in the United States. Everything Sprouts, LLC, a Minneapolis-based company, is voluntarily recalling its 5-ounce containers of alfalfa sprouts distributed since May 27.

As of now, at least four patients have been hospitalized, and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) are coordinating with Everything Sprouts to manage the recall. The company has been testing its products daily and has not detected any positive lab results during this outbreak.

The FDA and CDC revealed that 46 people were infected with E. coli, seven with salmonella, and two individuals contracted both infections. The illness onset dates ranged from May 31 to August 8, 2021. Health officials suspect that the actual number of infected individuals could be higher than the reported cases.

The outbreak is linked to sprouts grown by Everything Sprouts and sold under the Calco and Everything Sprouts brands to restaurants and grocery stores. The Minnesota Department of Health advises consumers to check their refrigerators for sprouts from these brands, refrain from consuming them, and dispose of them properly.

The FDA conducted an inspection and sample collection at Everything Sprouts on August 19, requesting the company to initiate a recall. The agency has cautioned consumers and retailers against consuming or serving the contaminated products. The FDA had previously warned Everything Sprouts of serious violations in 2020 following an inspection, with inspectors finding issues like roof leaks causing water to drip onto produce and smocks worn by employees not being clean.