Another Salmonella outbreak at Jimmy John's restaurants associated with raw sprouts has just been announced. The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) has posted information about this outbreak; they say that the CDC and FDA are investigating, along with state and local health departments, but there is no information about this outbreak on those other sites. If you live in a state other than Illinois and you are part of this outbreak, please contact us to let us know. We will be following other government sites so when they post something about the outbreak we will let you know immediately. Two cases of Salmonella Montevideo have been reported in Illinois. Those people got sick December 20 and December 26, 2017. Officials say that the most likely source of the … [Read more...]
Shuttered Henry’s Farm Recalls Sprouts for Listeria Contamination
The Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services has posted a recall for Henry's Farm's soybean sprouts for possible Listeria monocytogenes contamination. That facility was closed by the federal government on March 3, 2016 for unsanitary conditions. In fact, there have been recalls of Henry's Farm sprouts for Listeria contamination in 2012, 2014, and 2015 and a warning letter sent to the facility in 2012. The recall is for all packages of soybean sprouts "produced on or after March 1, 2016." No illnesses have been reported in connection with the consumption with these recalled products, but listeriosis, the illness caused by this pathogenic bacteria, can take up to 70 days to appear. The recalled items are 1 pound bags of soybean sprouts in clear plastic bags labeled … [Read more...]
E. coli Sproutbreak in MN and WI: What is It About Sprouts?
An E. coli O157:NM outbreak in Minnesota and Wisconsin had been linked to alfalfa sprouts made by Jack and the Green Sprouts in River Falls, Wisconsin. The outbreak has sickened at least nine people so far. Two of those sickened have been hospitalized. The sprouts have been recalled and hopefully there will be no new illnesses reported. But there will be more recalls and outbreaks involving sprouts in the future, because these products are inherently risky. Just browse through all of the stories of recalls and outbreaks we've written about in the past four years. What is it about sprouts that makes them so prone to contamination? The answer lies in how the seeds are sprouted and how they are grown in the first place. The seeds themselves can be contaminated, from feces from animals, … [Read more...]
Good Seed Soybean and Mung Bean Sprouts Recalled for Listeria
Good Seed Inc. of Springfield, Va. is recalling all packages of soybean sprouts and mung bean sprouts for potential Listeria contamination. The recalled products were distributed to retail stores in Virginia, Maryland and New Jersey. Consumers who have purchased these sprouts should not eat them as Listeria can cause serious, sometimes fatal illness. Pregnant women are at special risk as Listeria can cause miscarriages and stillbirths. Symptoms include high fever, severe headache, stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain and diarrhea. The following products are included in the recall: 1-lb bags of soybean sprouts produced on or after June 22, 2015 sold in clear plastic bags labeled "GOODSEED Soy Bean Sprouts" with UPC Code "21111 10035." 1-lb bags of mung bean sprouts produced on or after … [Read more...]
Good Seed Recalls Sprouts for Possible Listeria Monocytogenes
Good Seed Inc. of Springfield, Virginia is recalling all packages of soybean and mung bean sprouts because they may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes bacteria. There is no word on whether or not any illnesses have been reported to date, but the symptoms of listeriosis can take up to 70 days to appear. The recalled products are 1 pound bags of soybean sprouts in clear plastic bags labeled "GOODSEED Soy Bean Sprouts" and "Keep Refrigerated" with UPC number 21111 10035, produced on or after May 8, 2015. Also recalled are 1-pound bags of mung bean sprouts in clear plastic bags labeled "GOODSEED Mung Bean Sprouts" and "Keep Refrigerated" with UPC number 21111 20136, produced on or after May 8, 2015. Also recalled are 2 pound bags of soybean sprouts in clear plastic bags labeled … [Read more...]
E.coli, Listeria and Salmonella in Sprouts: 8 Outbreaks, 7 Strains, 6 Years
A look at food poisoning outbreaks linked to bean sprouts in recent years shows what a great medium they are for bacterial growth.From 2009 through 2014, eight "sproutbreaks" were caused by seven strains of three pathogens. The three pathogens are Salmonella, Listeria and E.coli. By pathogen, the breakdown of sproutbreaks from 2009-2014 looks like this: Listeria 1, E.coli 3, Salmonella 5. In 2014, there were three sproutbreaks each caused by a different pathogen. A Salmonella Enteritidis outbreak sickened 115 people in 12 states, an E.coli O121 outbreak sickened 19 people in six states and a two-state Listeria outbreak killed two people and sickened three others. In 2012, an E. coli O26 outbreak linked to clover sprouts served at Jimmy John's sickened 29 people in 11 states. And … [Read more...]
Listeria in Sprouts Prompts Two Recalls
Listeria in bean sprouts has prompted two recalls so far this year, one from Go Hang brand sprouts, the other from Jack and the Beanstalk brand. Consumers who have purchased either of these brands should not eat them as Listeria can cause serious illness. At the time of the recall, no illnesses had been reported, but Listeria infections can take up to 70 days to appear. Recalled Jack and the Beanstalk soybean sprouts were distributed to Bay Area stores and restaurants in 1 pound bags with the bar code 7-27580-12366-9; 1.5 pound bags with the bar code 7-27580-12365-2, and 10 pound bags with the bar code 7-27580-12351-5. NATTO soybean sprouts with the bar code 7-27580-12367-6 are also part of this recall. The recalled items are Go-Hang Soybean sprouts were distributed inK O-MART … [Read more...]
FDA Shuts Down Hawaiian Bean Sprout Operation
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has taken action to shut down RZM Food Factory, a Hawaiian bena sprout producer for unsanitary conditions. The company has which prepared and distributed mung bean, alfalfa, radish and clover sprouts in Hawaii has ceased operations and cannot resume until it hires an independent sanitation expert and develops a program to eliminate unsanitary conditions at the facility. “The FDA repeatedly advised RZM Food Factory of unsanitary conditions at the facility,” said Melinda K. Plaisier, the FDA’s associate commissioner for regulatory affairs in a statement. “If and when the company is permitted to resume operations, the FDA plans to continue monitoring its operations and may require the company to recall products or cease production if the agency … [Read more...]
Sprout Salmonella Outbreak Includes 3 in Maine
Three people in Maine are part of a 10-state Salmonella outbreak. The outbreak has been linked to mung bean sprouts produced by Wonton Foods Inc. of Brooklyn has sickened 63 people in Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, Montana, New Hampshire, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island and Vermont. Eleven people have been hospitalized. A recall has not been issued for the sprouts which were distributed to Asian restaurants and other establishments in nine states on the East Coast (all of the above except Montana. The single case patient there is believed to have contracted the infection while visiting the East Coast.) Wonton Foods stopped production and shipment of the sprouts on November 21, and made its last shipment it made was November 18. Consumers who have purchased these … [Read more...]
CDC Listeria Warning For Wholesome Soy Sprouts, Tofu, Noodles and Soy Milk
After a Listeria outbreak that killed two people and sickened three others, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is warning consumers not to eat products produced by Chicago-based Wholesome Soy Inc. These products include: bean sprouts, soft tofu, firm tofu, fried tofu, fried tofu pouches, white tofu, triangular tofu, soybean noodles, and soy milk. The company has not issued a public recall, instead telling investigators from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) that it plans to contact its customers by telephone. Consumers who have purchased these products should not eat them as they risk serious, life-threatening illness if they do. Consumers who have already eaten some of these products should take a photo of the packaging, dispose of the product following … [Read more...]
