FDA Confirms Seed Lot W4105 as Source of Broccoli Sprout Salmonella Outbreak: 32 Sick in Six States
WASHINGTON, Oct. 7 — The FDA has matched seed lot W4105 to the strain behind the Evergreen broccoli sprout Salmonella outbreak, according to a LexBlog summary of FDA and CDC postings. As of Oct. 7 the agencies listed the outbreak as ongoing: 32 sick in Idaho, Minnesota, Montana, Oregon, Utah and Washington, three hospitalized and no deaths, with the last reported illness starting Sept. 3. The recalled sprouts are past their use-by dates, but recalled seed may still be in homes; no illnesses have been reported from either seed recall.
Within five days, the same lot triggered a second home-sprouting seed recall, by Eden Brothers. The FDA says consumers should not plant, sprout, eat or grow microgreens from recalled seed. Washing does not remove Salmonella from inside a seed coat, and sprouting conditions let the bacteria multiply. The agency advises throwing the seed away sealed in the trash and requesting a refund, and urges anyone who sprouts at home to check the lot number on the packet.
Salmonella is among the most common foodborne infections in the United States and a leading cause of foodborne hospitalizations and deaths. Symptoms usually appear six hours to six days after exposure and include diarrhea, fever and stomach cramps lasting four to seven days; some patients later develop reactive arthritis or irritable bowel syndrome.
For consumers, the practical points are three: photograph and keep the lot number on any sprouting-seed packet you buy; when in doubt about finished sprouts, discard rather than eat them, especially in meals for children and older adults; and seek care promptly for diarrhea lasting more than two days, persistent fever or signs of dehydration, telling the doctor about recent sprout consumption so the laboratory can run targeted tests.
Source: LexBlog, Oct. 8, summarizing FDA and CDC outbreak pages as of Oct. 7.
Photo: Produce Market, Airline Dr., Houston, Texas 0811091717 — Patrick Feller / CC BY 2.0 (via Openverse)
Published by GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 图片 Image: Broccoli sprouts.jpg by Julie Gibbons (CC BY 2.0，经维基共享资源）/ via Wikimedia Commons
