Follow-up: Alfalfa Sprout Outbreak Declared Over With 77 Illnesses and 6 Hospitalizations; FDA Closes Investigation
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) updated its advisory on November 9: the multistate outbreak of Shiga toxin-producing E. coli and Salmonella infections linked to recalled alfalfa seed lot SAL2-24JB is over. The CDC has declared the outbreak over, and the FDA's outbreak investigation is complete. In total, 77 people were infected across 16 states; six were hospitalized and no deaths were reported.
According to the FDA, of the 77 people infected, 64 were infected with Shiga toxin-producing E. coli, 10 with Salmonella, and 3 with both. Illnesses started on dates ranging from May 31, 2026, to October 19, 2026. Of the 52 people interviewed, 41 (79%) reported eating sprouts in the week before they got sick, and 36 specified alfalfa sprouts. GSM reported on October 1 that the outbreak count then stood at 76 people.
The recalled seed was sold under the Berlin Seeds brand in Millersburg, Ohio, from February 13 to August 23, 2026, at the company's retail store and through its website to customers in 46 states, including California. The same seed lot was also shipped to sprout growers and wholesale distributors in multiple states and Puerto Rico, and distributed internationally to Canada, Mexico and elsewhere. Sprouts grown from the recalled seed lot are past their best-by dates and should no longer be available for sale.
The FDA noted that the recalled seed lot carries an expiration date of December 31, 2029, and may still be in storage: sprout growers should check their inventory and consumers should check their homes, and any seed from lot SAL2-24JB should be thrown away and not used, sold or distributed. Anyone unsure whether their seed is part of the recall should contact their seed supplier.
(Source: U.S. Food and Drug Administration)
Source: U.S. Food and Drug Administration
Published by GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 图：苜蓿芽实景（资料图）。照片：公共领域，经 Wikimedia Commons。 / Photo: Alfalfa sprouts (file photo). Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.
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