The FDA has weighed in on the E. coli O103 clover sprouts outbreak that has sickened 39 people in 6 states. Two possible sources of these raw sprouts have been identified: Jimmy John’s restaurants and Chicago Indoor Garden.
Chicago Indoor Garden recalled their products containing sprouts earlier this week after FDA analysis found the presence of the outbreak strain of E. coli O103 on the sprouts. The sample also matches the outbreak strain from the November through December 2019 E. coli O103 outbreak in Iowa. That outbreak was associated with sprouts from various Jimmy John’s restaurants in the state.
FDA traceback investigation found that a common seed lot was used to grow the recalled Chicago Indoor Garden clover sprouts, and also the sprouts served at some Jimmy John’s locations, as well as the 2019 outbreak. The Chicago Indoor Garden sprouts were sold between 12/1/2019 and 3/12/2020, distributed to Whole Foods throughout the Midwest, Coosemans Chicago Inc., Battaglia Distributing, and Living Waters Farms.
If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with food poisoning, you can contact attorney Fred Pritzker for help by calling 1-888-377-8900 or 612-338-0202.
The patient case count by state is: Florida (1), Iowa (3), Illinois (6), Missouri (1), Texas, and Utah (27). Since the last update in February 2020, the case count has increased by 25 patients. Most of that increase is in Utah, which has 24 more patients. Two people are hospitalized. The last illness onset date was March 2, 2020. More cases may still be diagnosed since it can weeks after a person gets sick until their illness is reported to authorities.
Symptoms of an E. coli infection include a mild fever, possible nausea and vomiting, painful and severe abdominal cramps, and diarrhea that is bloody or watery. These symptoms begin a few days to a week after exposure to the pathogen. If you have eaten raw clover sprouts and have been experiencing these symptoms, see your doctor. You may be part of this E. coli O103 clover sprouts outbreak.
