The Everything Sprouts Salmonella outbreak has grown to include 55 people in 15 states, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Four people have been hospitalized because they are so sick. And Everything Sprouts issued a recall of their Everything Sprouts branded alfalfa sprouts. This is an increase of 13 more states, two more hospitalizations, and 14 more patients since the first notice of the outbreak was published by the Minnesota Department of Health on August 20, 2026.
The patient case count by state is: Florida (2), Iowa (1), Indiana (1), Kansas (1), Michigan (1), Minnesota (21), North Carolina (2), North Dakota (2), New Hampshire (1), New York (2), Pennsylvania (1), South Carolina (1), South Dakota (1), Washington (1), and Wisconsin (17). Illness onset dates range from May 31, 2026 to August 8, 2026. The patient age range is from 12 to 94 years.
There are three strains of E. coli and one strain of Salmonella sickening people in this outbreak: E. coli O26:H11, E. coli O103:H25, E. coli O168:H8, and Salmonella Agona. Some people are sick with more than just one strain of these pathogens. Forty-six people are sick with E. coli infections, seven are infected with Salmonella, and two are sick with both Salmonella and E. coli infections.
Some of the patients are identified as part of illness clusters, which is defined as two more more people who do not live in the same household who reported eating at the same restaurant, attending a common event, or shopping at the same location of a grocery store. At least two illness clusters were identified in Minnesota and Wisconsin; those restaurants, events, and stores were not named. The most commonly reported food item was alfalfa sprouts.
Whole genome sequencing performed on patient isolates showed that bacteria from patient samples are closely related genetically. This means they likely got sick from eating the same food. In addition, traceback from Minnesota and Wisconsin restaurants identified alfalfa sprouts distributed by Everything Sprouts is the source of illnesses in this outbreak.
On March 28, 2025, the FDA issued the company a warning letter after inspecting its Minneapolis sprouting operation from October 30 through November 14, 2024. They found water from the roof leaking through ceiling tiles in the middle of the production room, about four feet from the packaging tables, with water dripping onto totes of cooled, exposed mung bean sprouts. A second roof leak in the warehouse dripped near a rack of clean smocks that employees would wear while handling produce.
Investigators also reported condensate dripping from condenser units inside the coolers that held sprouts, a buildup of black organic matter on an irrigation hose that passed directly over exposed soy sprouts, and torn plastic sheeting around growing cabins that had been patched with tape, with sprouts stuck to the tape in several places.
If you purchased the recalled sprouts, do not eat, sell, or serve them to others. You can throw them away in a secure trash can, take them back to the place of purchase, or contact your distributor for a refund.
If you ate these recalled sprouts or fed them to anyone in your family, monitor your health and their health for the symptoms of Salmonella or E. coli food poisoning or hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) for the next one to two weeks. If anyone does get sick, see your doctor.
