Washington, DCAnother salmonella outbreak has sprouted, this time involving alfalfa sprouts. The popular greens are often used in salads, but overnight the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a warning to consumers not to eat alfalfa sprouts due to a potential outbreak of alfalfa sprout salmonella that has sickened people in 6 states.
This isn't new. An outbreak in February and March sickened more than 100 consumers in Nebraska, South Dakota, Kansas and Minnesota. Health officials have speculated that this outbreak is an extension of the earlier outbreak.
However, outbreaks involving alfalfa sprouts go back even further than that. According to an FDA statement raw alfalfa sprouts have been linked to several outbreaks of salmonella over the past two decades.
According to a report in USA Today, officials have speculated this outbreak stems from infected seeds sold nationwide. There have been 31 cases of salmonella saintpaul in Michigan, Minnesota, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Utah and West Virginia—and it is believed these cases are linked to alfalfa sprouts. These latest cases have emerged since about mid-March, officials have said.
While this latest outbreak has so far been contained to six states, no one is commenting on the possibility of the outbreak reaching farther given the speculation that infected seeds were sold right across the country. In issuing this latest warning overnight, the FDA is hoping to slow or even stop the further spreading of the outbreak by warning consumers not to eat alfalfa sprouts.
It should be noted that bean sprouts, or other types of sprouts are not affected. Only alfalfa sprouts have been named in this FDA communiqué.
Salmonella has the power to make even healthy people extremely ill with diarrhea, abdominal cramps and fever lasting upwards of 7 days. However, while healthy individuals will fully recover, salmonella can be deadly to infants, the elderly, or to those with compromised immune systems.
If you suddenly find yourself ill after eating salmonella eating alfalfa sprouts, see your doctor or seek medical attention immediately. A salmonella alfalfa sprout attorney can advise you of any class-action lawsuits stemming from this outbreak, providing you a potential opportunity to claim damages.