SunSprout alfalfa sprouts are being recalled for possible Salmonella contamination. The sprouts were distributed to customers in Nebraska, Kansas, and Iowa between late November and early December 2022. The recalling firm is SunSprout Enterprises of Fremont, Nebraska. The recall notice states that "To date, SunSprout has received no complaints or reports of illness due to this recalled product. This voluntary recall is a result of a preliminary investigation by the State of Nebraska in connection with CDC of an outbreak of illness likely associated with alfalfa sprouts. SunSprout, out of an abundance of caution, is initiating this voluntary recall while it further investigates how this alfalfa product was handled and stored after it left its Nebraska facility." That outbreak has … [Read more...]
FDA Adds NE Salmonella Alfalfa Sprout Outbreak to CORE Table
The FDA has added the Nebraska Salmonella alfalfa sprout outbreak to its CORE Outbreak Investigation Table. At least 15 people are sick, an increase of three more patients since the Nebraska advisory was released on December 23, 2022. The pathogen is Salmonella Typhimurium. The FDA states, "A multistate outbreak of Salmonella Typhimurium (reference #1137) has been added to the table. The Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services and the Nebraska Department of Agriculture issued an advisory regarding illnesses in their state. Preliminary information gathered by state partners indicates that patients consumed alfalfa sprouts prior to becoming ill. FDA’s investigation is underway to confirm the product causing illnesses and additional information will be provided when it becomes … [Read more...]
Nebraska Alfalfa Sprouts Salmonella Outbreak Sickens 12
A Nebraska alfalfa sprouts Salmonella Typhimurium outbreak has sickened at least 12 people as of December 23, 2022, according to the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services (NDHHS), in collaboration with the Nebraska Department of Agriculture, Douglas County Health Department, Sarpy/Cass Health Department, and the Three Rivers Public Health Department. The patient age range has not been released, and there is no word on whether anyone has been hospitalized. Those 12 patients ate alfalfa sprouts between December 4, 2022 and December 15, 2022. The sprouts were consumed either at local restaurants or in their homes after the patients bought them from local grocery stores. The NDHHS is recommending that the public avoid eating alfalfa sprouts while this investigation … [Read more...]
Top 10 Largest Outbreaks of 2016: Salmonella Sproutbreak
The fifth largest food poisoning outbreak of 2016 was the Salmonella Muenchen and Salmonella Kentucky outbreak linked to raw alfalfa sprouts. These sprouts came from one contaminated seed lot and were sold under various names. The sprouts were produced by multiple facilities, including Sweetwater Farms of Inman, Kansas. At least 26 people in 12 states were sickened in this outbreak. Eight people were hospitalized. No deaths were reported. The case count by state was: Kansas (5), Maryland (2), Missouri (3), New Jersey (2), New York (2), North Carolina (1), North Dakota (1), Ohio (1), Oklahoma (3), Pennsylvania (3), Virginia (2), and Washington (1). Twenty-five people were sickened with the outbreak strain of Salmonella Muenchen, and 1 person was sickened with the outbreak strain of … [Read more...]
Colorado Hard Hit by Salmonella Outbreak Linked to Sprouts
Colorado has been hard hit by a nine-state Salmonella outbreak linked to alfalfa sprouts from Sprouts Extraordinaire of Denver. Thirteen people from Colorado have been sickened in an outbreak that includes 17 others from eight states. Five people have been hospitalized. Some of those sickened reported eating the contaminated sprouts at restaurants, but health officials have not released the names of those establishments. The sprouts, which have been recalled, were sold in 5-pound boxes labeled “Living Alfalfa Sprouts.” Illnesses, which have been linked to two strains -Salmonella Reading and Salmonella Abony, were reported from May 21 to July 20 from case patients who range in age from less than 1 year to 72. The case count by state is as follows: Colorado (13), Kansas (8), … [Read more...]
Salmonella “Sproutbreak” Strikes Kansas for Second Time in 6 Months
An alfalfa sprouts Salmonella outbreak (sproutbreak) has struck Kansas for the second time in six months. Eight people from Kansas are among the 30 sickened in nine states in an outbreak linked to contaminated alfalfa sprouts from Sprouts Extraordinaire in Denver. Many of those sickened, ate the contaminated sprouts at restaurants, but health officials have not released the names of those establishments. Five people have been hospitalized. A recall has been issued for the sprouts which are tainted with two strains: Salmonella Reading and Salmonella Abony. Onset of illness dates range from May 21 to July 20. States reporting illnesses include: Colorado (13), Kansas (8), Minnesota (1), Missouri (1), Nebraska (2), New York (1), Oregon (1), Texas (1) and Wyoming (1). In February, … [Read more...]
Alfalfa Sprouts Linked to Salmonella Outbreak in 9 States
Alfalfa sprouts have been linked to a nine-state Salmonella outbreak that has sickened 30 people, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Many of those sickened reported eating the contaminated sprouts at restaurants, but health officials have not released the names of those establishments. Five people have been hospitalized. Epidemiologic and traceback evidence indicates that alfalfa sprouts from Sprouts Extraordinaire of Denver are the likely source of this outbreak, according to the CDC. The company today issued a recall for the sprouts which were sold in 5-pound boxes labeled "Living Alfalfa Sprouts." Health officials say restaurants and other retailers should not serve the recalled sprouts. The outbreak includes two strains. Twenty four people have … [Read more...]
CDC Changes Source of Alfalfa Sprout Salmonella Outbreak, Ends Investigation
The Salmonella outbreak linked to alfalfa sprouts has ended after sickening 26 people in 12 states, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Eight people were hospitalized. State and federal health officials initially identified Sweetwater Farms of Inman, Kansas as the source of the outbreak, but have since discovered that the source of the outbreak was a contaminated seed lot used by multiple sprouters. The CDC has not released information on the outbreak since it was first announced on February 23, 2016. At that time, 13 people in four states were infected with the outbreak strain Salmonella Muenchen: in Kansas (5), Missouri (3), Oklahoma (3), and Pennsylvania (2). And state and federal health officials said traceback investigations from multiple … [Read more...]
Minnesota Legal Roundtable Centers on Sprouts, E. coli Lawsuits
E. coli lawsuit questions and answers about chronic food poisoning outbreaks linked to alfalfa sprouts were fielded this week by a roundtable of lawyers in the Minneapolis offices of Pritzker Hageman, a national firm that practices extensively in the area of foodborne illness litigation. The discussion, conducted by Food Poisoning Bulletin, centered on two multi-state, sprout-related outbreaks of Salmonella and E. coli in 2016. The latest of the outbreaks was uncovered by the Minnesota Department of Health and investigated by FDA and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). On March 2, the CDC reported that seven Minnesotans and two residents of Wisconsin were infected by the same strain of E. coli O157, traced to alfalfa sprouts grown at Jack & the Green Sprouts of … [Read more...]
Minnesota E. coli Lawyers Speak out on Raw Sprouts Dangers
A team of E. coli food poisoning lawyers from Pritzker Hageman law firm met in Minneapolis today to urge all restaurants, food co-ops, grocery stores, deli operators, food trucks, lunch counters and other retailers to place warning labels on any food item containing raw sprouts. The attorneys reissued their nationwide call for mandatory consumer warnings on raw sprouts in the wake of two multi-state outbreaks in the first two months of 2016. One of the sprout outbreaks involves toxic E. coli and the other involves Salmonella. “We are calling for a mandatory consumer warning any place where raw sprouts are sold,’’ said attorney Fred Pritzker, founder and president of the firm, one of the very few U.S. law firms practicing extensively in the area of foodborne illness … [Read more...]
