As of July 5, 2011, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported that a total of 25 persons have now been infected with the outbreak strain of Salmonella Enteritidis linked to sprouts grown in Idaho. Those 25 individuals are from 5 states including: Idaho (3), Montana (10), New Jersey (1), North Dakota (1)
CDC Investigating Salmonella Outbreak Linked to Sprouts from Evergreen Produce
Yesterday, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced that it was warning consumers not to eat alfalfa sprouts or spicy sprouts from plastic bags labeled “Evergreen Produce” or “Evergreen Produce Inc.,” because the sprouts may be linked to 20 cases of Salmonella poisoning. Yet despite this warning, AP’s Mary Clare Jalonick reported that Evergreen Produce
Another E. coli Outbreak Possibly Linked to Sprouts, This Time in France
Reports today indicate that 10 people have been hospitalized with suspected E. coli poisoning in Bordeaux, France. According to French health authorities, at least 6 out of the 10 people were found to have eaten the sprouts at a local fete in Begres, southeast of Bordeaux. Frederic Lefebvre, secretary of state for consumer affairs, said
FDA seeks permanent injunction against Louisiana sprout company
.jpg)
Sprouts are a food item that have been associated with outbreaks of foodborne disease on multiple occasions in the past decade, including a major Salmonella saintpaul outbreak between February and April of 2009. In the 2009 outbreak, the CDC counted 235 confirmed outbreak victims, and likely thousands more people across the country were sickened.
Revisited: Salmonella Saintpaul outbreak linked to Alfalfa Sprouts
From February through May of 2009, the CDC counted 235 confirmed victims of a Salmonella Saintpaul outbreak linked to alfalfa sprouts. Here is the distribution of confirmed cases in the outbreak:
Nebraska was the hardest hit state by far, with 111 confirmed illnesses, many of whom consumed alfalfa sprouts on sandwiches from Jimmy John’s
Meat Trade News Daily misses only a couple
The Meat Trade News Daily misses only a couple major food safety issues (i.e. outbreaks) in yesterdays summary of ten major food stories in 2009. In the blog post, titled "USA – Food Safety a Bloody Disgrace," MTND includes:
1. Stephanie Smith’s E. coli O157:H7 and HUS illness from eating a contaminated Cargill ground beef patty. Stephanie has sued Cargill for
A Point Well Taken
Once again, the Perishable Pundit has managed to give, and get, some excellent commentary on sprouts and other food safety issues. I particularly enjoyed the statement by Devon Zagory, Ph.D, an industry leader in produce safety science, discussing the proper role of FDA regulations. If I may be so bold, and speak for Dr.
Update on Sprouts Salmonella Outbreak: 235 confirmed illnesses
The CDC has updated its numbers with respect to the alfalfa sprouts outbreak. See the full report here, which gives a good summary of the epidemiological evidence that establishes that Caudill Seed was the source of this outbreak. My homework assignment for Lyle Orwig is to read this report before doing anymore interviews.
A Question for Caudill Seed
I’m doing my best to find any reference to a recall of the seeds implicated by the FDA and CDC in the recent Salmonella Saintpaul outbreak, which is now responsible for at least 228 illnesses in 13 states. I can’t find any action by Caudill Seed taken to actually recall the product. I’m not talking about a
Sprouts: Honestly, Does it get any Riskier???
There can only be two reasons why anybody in the country would be eating alfalfa sprouts right now: one, they have not seen any of the hundreds of news reports, blog posts, or FDA/CDC reports on the several large outbreaks or recalls that have happened already in 2009; or two, they just don’t care about