Multistate Food-Poisoning Outbreak Linked to Alfalfa Sprouts
A food-poisoning outbreak linked to alfalfa sprouts has sickened 55 people across 15 states, with four hospitalizations.
U.S. health officials have identified a food-poisoning outbreak connected to alfalfa sprouts that has spread across 15 states. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported 55 confirmed cases nationwide, including four hospitalizations.
The outbreak was initially announced by state authorities earlier this week, who documented over three dozen cases in Minnesota and Wisconsin. The CDC has since confirmed additional cases in Florida, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, New Hampshire, New York, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, South Carolina, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Washington.
Interviews with 34 of the affected individuals revealed that 26 had consumed alfalfa sprouts. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has traced the source to Everything Sprouts, a Minnesota-based grower, whose products are sold under the Calco and Everything Sprouts brands to restaurants and grocery stores. The company has not yet issued a recall.
Unusually, the outbreak involves multiple pathogens. Those affected have tested positive for Salmonella and different strains of E. coli, specifically Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC). STEC infections can cause stomach cramps and bloody diarrhea, and in severe cases, may lead to acute kidney failure. Salmonella poisoning typically results in diarrhea, fever, vomiting, dehydration, and stomach cramps.
This is not the first time the grower has faced scrutiny. The FDA sent a warning letter to Everything Sprouts last year, citing inspection findings from the previous year that flagged concerns such as a leaking roof dripping water onto bean sprouts and workers' smocks.
Officials have not yet announced a recall, and the company has not responded to requests for comment.