The FDA is investigating a new outbreak on infections related to consumption of raw alfalfa sprouts.
At least 15 people in Nebraska have become sick from Salmonella Typhimurium. U.S. Food and Drug Administration officials are involved in the outbreak investigation along with state health officials and staff from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Nebraska first reported the outbreak earlier this week when a dozen people were sick. An advisory from Nebraska does not say whether people from other states are sick, but a recall notice posted by the FDA reports that the implicated sprouts were distributed in Nebraska, Kansas and Iowa between late November and early December 2022.
There is concern that consumers may still have unused portions of the sprouts in their homes because some of them have best-by dates of Dec. 27.
The recalled sprouts from SunSprout Enterprises can be identified by the following information:
- The raw alfalfa sprouts are packaged in 4-ounce clamshells with best by dates between 12/10/2022 and 12/27/2022 and lot codes #4211 and 5211.
In other outbreak news, the FDA is continuing to investigate an outbreak of Salmonella Typhimurium infections of unknown origin that has sickened 274 people. The outbreak has been declared over, but investigators continue their work. They have initiated traceback efforts as well as sample testing, but the agency has not reported what food is being traced and tested. The FDA has not reported where the outbreak victims live.
A third outbreak investigation remains open at this time. It is regarding infections from Listeria monocytogenes and enoki mushrooms. Two people, one each in Nevada and Michigan, are sick and both have been hospitalized. The FDA and CDC are trying to determine what brand of enoki mushrooms are involved. There have been numerous recalls of enoki mushrooms this year because of Listeria contamination.
Additional outbreak information
Click here to go to the FDA page with links to specific outbreak details. The investigations are in a variety of stages. Some outbreaks have limited information with active investigations ongoing, others may be near completion.
A public health advisory will be issued for investigations that have resulted in specific, actionable steps for consumers to take to protect themselves, according to the FDA. Please direct your attention to those pages for the most up-to-date information on the investigation and for consumer protection information.
Outbreak and adverse event investigations that do not result in specific, actionable steps for consumers may or may not conclusively identify a source or reveal any contributing factors. Adverse event investigations rely on self-reported data. Although these reports may name a particular product, FDA will only indicate a product category in the table and will not publicly name a specific product until there is sufficient evidence to implicate that product as a cause of illnesses or adverse events. If a cause and/or contributing factors are identified that could inform future prevention, FDA commits to providing a summary of those findings.
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