An FDA warning letter to Sprouts Unlimited, located in Marion, Iowa, details information about problems at the company's facility in the wake of a 2019 E. coli O103 outbreak in Iowa linked to their raw clover sprouts served at Jimmy John's restaurants. The FDA has determined that the company's clover sprouts are adulterated in that they "bear or contain an added poisonous or deleterious substance which may render them injurious to health." The FDA inspected the Sprouts Unlimited facility from December 31, 2019 to January 9, 2020. Inspectors documented "numerous serious violations of the Standards for the Growing, Harvesting, Packing, and Holding of Produce for Human Consumption regulation (PSR), Title 21, Code of Federal Regulations, Part 112 (21 CFR Part 112) that may have resulted … [Read more...]
E. coli O103 Jimmy John’s Clover Sprouts Outbreak Sickens 22 in Iowa
An E. coli O103 Jimmy John's clover sprouts outbreak has sickened at least 22 people in Iowa, according to a warning letter the FDA sent to Jimmy John's and Sprouts Unlimited on February 21, 2020. This outbreak was briefly mentioned by the FDA in a recall notice on December 18, 2019, but there were very few details about the outbreak at that time. The FDA warning letter details information about five food poisoning outbreaks linked to Jimmy John's restaurants going back to 2012. The outbreaks were caused by E. coli O103, Salmonella Montevideo, E. coli O102, E. coli O157:H7, and E. coli O26. The letter states that, "Taken together, these outbreaks, which spanned over the past seven years and impacted no fewer than seventeen states demonstrate the corporate-wide supplier control … [Read more...]
Iowa Raw Sprouts E. coli O103 Outbreak at Jimmy John’s, HyVee
An Iowa raw sprouts E. coli O103 outbreak is linked to Sprouts Unlimited raw clover sprouts that were distributed to Hy Vee Food stores, Fareway Food Stores, and Jimmy John's restaurants in that state, according to a recall notice posted by the FDA. Sprouts Unlimited of Marion, Iowa is recalling clover sprouts sold in 4 ounce packages. The sprouts available at retail were packaged in pint containers with a blue label on the lid. The UPC number 7 32684 00013 6 is stamped on the bottom right side of the label. The Iowa Department of Inspections and Appeals told Sprouts Unlimited that a cluster of E. coli O103 illnesses epidemiologically linked to their clover sprouts has been identified. An investigation has been launched. There is no further information about how many people are … [Read more...]
Largest Multistate Outbreaks of 2014 #5: Clover Sprouts
An E. coli 0121 outbreak linked to raw clover sprouts sickened 19 people in 6 states in 2014 was the fifth largest outbreak of 2014. Traceback investigations found that contaminated sprouts were produced by Evergreen Fresh Sprouts of Idaho and were sold at Jimmy John's Gourmet Sandwich locations, the Pita Pit, and Daanen's Deli. The case count per state was: California (1), Idaho (3), Michigan (1), Montana (2), Utah (1), and Washington (11).. Illnesses began from May 1, 2014 to May 20, 2014. Patients ranged in age from 11 years to 52 years, with a median age of 27 years. Sixty-eight percent of ill persons were female. Public health officials interviewed 16 patients; of those, seven, or 44%, were hospitalized. No one developed hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), and no deaths were … [Read more...]
CDC Updates E. coli Outbreak Linked to Jimmy John’s Sprouts
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has updated their investigation into the E. coli O121 outbreak linked to raw clover sprouts served at Jimmy John's and other restaurants. As of June 27, 2014, the case count stands at 18. The case count per state is: Idaho (3), Michigan (1), Montana (2), Utah (1), and Washington (11). Forty-four percent of ill persons have been hospitalized in this outbreak. No one has developed hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) and no deaths have been reported. Illnesses range from May 1, 2014 to May 20, 2014. Ill persons range in age from 11 years to 45 years, with a median age of 27 years. Seventy-six percent of ill persons are female. Illnesses that began after June 4, 2014 may not have been reported because of the length of time between getting sick … [Read more...]
Jimmy John’s Sproutbreak: E.coli on Sprouts Sickens 10 in WA, ID
Raw clover sprouts on Jimmy John's and other fast food sandwiches are the likely source of an E. coli outbreak that has sickened 10 people in Washington and Idaho, according to the Washington State Department of Health. Seven people have confirmed cases of E. coli O121 poisoning and three have probable cases. Five people have been hospitalized. Health officials are warning consumers not to eat raw clover sprouts from Evergreen Fresh Sprouts, LLC of Idaho. They were distributed to restaurants and grocery stores in the northwest. “If you have these products at home, you should throw them out.,” said Washington State Health Officer Dr. Kathy Lofy. In Washington, the sprouts were served on sandwiches at Jimmy John's locations in King and Spokane counties and two Pita Pit locations in … [Read more...]
