Minnesota health officials have issued a consumer warning for specific brands of alfalfa sprouts, which have been associated with an unusual outbreak of illnesses caused by different bacteria. The outbreak has affected at least 23 people in Minnesota, leading to two hospitalizations.
In Minnesota, three individuals became ill with Salmonella infections, and one of them also contracted a strain of E. coli bacteria known as STEC O168:H8. Seven others were sickened by a different E. coli strain, STEC O103:H25, while an additional thirteen cases involved another E. coli strain, STEC O26:H11.
Wisconsin investigators have identified 18 additional cases of illness that are also linked to alfalfa sprouts, according to Minnesota officials. The implicated sprouts are reportedly produced by Everything Sprouts, a Minnesota-based grower. These sprouts were sold under the Calco and Everything Sprouts brand names to both restaurants and grocery stores.
Minnesota investigators are collaborating with their Wisconsin counterparts and federal health agencies to determine the full extent and origin of the contamination. The presence of multiple types of bacteria in a single food poisoning outbreak is considered unusual. Bill Marler, a lawyer specializing in food safety cases, noted that while uncommon to have two different pathogens, alfalfa sprouts are a plausible source due to the ease with which seeds can harbor contaminants, the difficulty in cleaning them, and the spread of contaminants during the sprouting process in warm water.
Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) infections can cause symptoms such as stomach cramps and bloody diarrhea, with the potential to develop into hemolytic uremic syndrome, a severe condition involving acute kidney failure. Salmonella poisoning typically manifests as diarrhea, fever, severe vomiting, dehydration, and stomach cramps.