Alfalfa sprouts recalled after E. coli, salmonella outbreak sickens dozens

An outbreak of E. coli and salmonella that has sickened dozens of people across 15 states has been linked to an alfalfa grower in Minnesota, federal health officials said Friday.

The Food and Drug Administration said in a news release that the outbreak was linked to alfalfa sprouts distributed by Minneapolis-based Everything Sprouts and sold under the Everything Sprouts and Calco brands. The sprouts were sold to restaurants and grocery stores, the FDA said.

Everything Sprouts announced later Friday that it was voluntarily recalling certain lots of alfalfa sprouts that could potentially be contaminated with the Shiga toxin that can produce E. coli and salmonella. 

The recalled alfalfa sprouts were supplied starting on May 27 to third-party distributors and retail grocery stores in Minnesota and Wisconsin, Everything Sprouts said. Some of the recalled sprouts come in 5-ounce plastic containers with a lid, the company said.

Everything Sprouts said in a statement that it has conducted daily tests since the outbreak began and has “not received any positive lab results.”

“To date, no reports of illnesses involving Everyday Sprouts Alfalfa Sprouts have been reported to the company,” Everything Sprouts said. 

At least 55 cases of E. coli and salmonella have been confirmed in the outbreak so far, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Of those, four patients have been hospitalized.

The FDA said that of the 55 people with confirmed illnesses nationwide linked to the outbreak, 46 were infected with E. coli and seven with salmonella, while two people were infected with both illnesses.

The illnesses were reported from May 31 to Aug. 8, the FDA said.

Minnesota and Wisconsin appear to have experienced the most cases so far. The Minnesota Department of Health reported its own numbers Thursday, saying there have been at least 23 cases of salmonella or E. coli in the state between July 8 and Aug. 8 linked to alfalfa sprouts, with two of those cases resulting in hospitalization.

The Wisconsin Department of Health Services reported Thursday at least 17 cases of E. coli and salmonella, with one hospitalization.

Other states with cases linked to the outbreak are Florida, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, New Hampshire, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota and Washington, according to the FDA.  

According to the CDC, symptoms of E. coli caused by the Shiga toxin can include severe stomach cramps, diarrhea that could be bloody and vomiting.

Symptoms of salmonella include diarrhea, fever and stomach cramps.

This follows an ongoing salmonella outbreak first reported in June linked to jalapeño peppers grown in Sinaloa, Mexico, that has so far sickened more than 400 people across 32 states, according to the CDC.