Alfalfa sprout outbreak sickens 55 in 15 states, linked to multiple germs

Key facts

• A food-poisoning outbreak linked to alfalfa sprouts has affected 55 people in 15 states.
• The outbreak involves multiple germs, including Salmonella and Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC).
• Four individuals have been hospitalized as a result of the infections.
• The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) identified Everything Sprouts, a Minnesota grower, as the source.
• The affected sprouts were sold under the Calco and Everything Sprouts brands.

U.S. health officials have identified a food-poisoning outbreak linked to alfalfa sprouts that has sickened 55 people across 15 states. The outbreak is notable for involving multiple germs, including Salmonella and different strains of E. coli, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Of the 55 reported cases nationally, four individuals have been hospitalized. State officials initially reported over three dozen cases in Minnesota and Wisconsin before the CDC expanded the scope. Cases have also been confirmed in Florida, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, New Hampshire, New York, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, South Carolina, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Washington.

Investigations by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) indicate that 26 out of 34 interviewed sick individuals reported consuming alfalfa sprouts. The agency has linked the outbreak to sprouts produced by Everything Sprouts, a Minnesota-based grower, which were sold under the Calco and Everything Sprouts brand names to restaurants and grocery stores. The company has not yet issued a recall.

This is not the first time the grower has faced scrutiny; last year, the FDA issued a warning letter to Everything Sprouts following inspections that identified concerns, including a leaking roof dripping water onto produce.