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Sprouts Salmonella Outbreak in Five State

By PritzkerLaw

State and federal health investigators continue working to establish a definite link between sprouts sold by a Nebraska company and a Salmonella Saintpaul outbreak in five states.

An epidemiological investigation by the state of Nebraska associated initial illnesses in Nebraska and Iowa with sprouts sold by Omaha-based SunSprout Enterprises Inc. Now there are about 50 cases in Iowa, Nebraska, Kansas, South Dakota and Missouri, according to the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy (CIDRAP).

Some victims already are represented by Salmonella lawyers at PritzkerOlsen Attorneys, a national food safety law firm with considerable experience and a reputation for success in representing survivors of foodborne illnesses. We are accepting cases from all states affected by the outbreak. Call 1-888-377-8900 (toll free) or complete a free online case consultation.

SunSprout announced a recall March 3 covering Alfalfa Sprouts, Onion Sprouts and Gourmet Sprouts with "Best If Sold By" dates ranging from March 2-14. The products are sold primarily through distributors who sell to restaurants and retail stores.

At the time of the recall, the company said: "State officials continue to review all available data and information to determine whether sprouts are reliably implicated in the recent reported cases of Salmonella Saintpaul.''

CIDRAP quoted a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention official who said the CDC is consulting on the outbreak and that laboratory analysis is being conducted by the Minnesota Department of Health. A Food and Drug Administration spokesman said the source of the outbreak remains under investigation.

Since at least 1999, the CDC has advised consumers that sprouts -- in general -- are not healthy for everyone. Children, the elderly and people with weakened immune systems should not eat sprouts, according to CDC's peer-reviewed journal, Emerging Infectious Diseases.

The authors of the 1999 article said the warm, humid conditions needed to grow sprouts from seed are the same conditions that allow bacteria to flourish. Salmonella and E. coli bacteria can flourish in sprouts without affecting their appearance, the article said.

Full post as published by Food Poisoning Law Blog on March 12, 2009 (boomark / email).