There isn’t much information available, but another Salmonella outbreak may be associated with recalled clover sprouts, according to one sentence in an FDA recall notice. NOW Real Food Zesty Sprouting Mix in 16 ounce packages is being recalled for possible Salmonella contamination. Lawyer and food safety expert Fred Pritzker explains that a Salmonella clover sprouts outbreak may be announced soon.
The recall notice contains an interesting sentence. It reads, “Evidence of potential contamination was implicated in ongoing FDA and CDC investigations into multistate outbreaks of Salmonella infections, of which the clover seed supplier was notified.” No information about this potential Salmonella clover sprouts outbreak or outbreaks has been posted on the FDA or CDC sites.
This product has been sold nationwide in retail stores since December 2017. The potential for a very large outbreak is quite real because of the large volume of sales and because of the large market.
You can contact food safety attorney Fred Pritzker for help by calling 1-888-377-8900.
We asked Fred why there seem to be so many outbreaks associated with this product. He said, “Raw sprouts have an inherent risk for food poisoning built right into the product. Bacteria may be encapsulated within the seed. And the growing conditions for sprouts are the exact same growing conditions required for pathogens such as Salmonella. That’s why many food safety experts recommend that people in high risk populations such as the elderly avoid raw sprouts entirely.”
The symptoms of salmonellosis include a fever, nausea, vomiting, muscle aches, abdominal and stomach cramps, and diarrhea that can be bloody. Those who are most at risk for a serious complication from this illness include children, the elderly, and anyone who has a chronic health problem or a deficient immune system.
If you or someone you know has been suffering from these symptoms, especially if raw sprouts have been consumed in the past few days, see your doctor. You may be part of this Salmonella clover sprouts outbreak.
