Salmonella Typhimurium: WA and OR - Sprouters Northwest
Nine people in Washington State and four in Oregon have been infected by Salmonella Typhimurium in an outbreak linked to alfalfa sprouts. The first cases were reported in early August, 2008, and investigations have led health authorities to tie the outbreak to alfalfa sprouts produced and distributed by Sprouters Northwest of Kent, WA. The company has recalled its product and have stopped distributing it. Consumers with Sprouters Northwest products in their homes are advised to return the product to the store of purchase or discard it.
Sprouts are second only to leafy greens as a vehicle for produce-related illness outbreaks. The environment for growing sprouts - warm and moist - is also ideal for the growth of bacteria. Bacteria can get on the seeds in many ways: fields can be contaminated by grazing animals; harvest and production machinery can become contaminated, and then spread that contamination; and as seeds are ‘scarred’ or cracked on processing, bacteria can enter the seed. In addition to that, sprouts are rarely washed or cooked, which might kill the bacteria.
Anyone experiencing symptoms of Salmonella infection - nausea, vomiting, fever, abdominal cramps and diarrhea - are advised to see a health care practitioner.