Salmonella in Sprouts: The Problem Persists
The multi-state outbreak of Salmonella Saintpaul that led to a recall of alfalfa sprouts by Nebraska's CW Sprouts Inc. is another reminder to consumers that people in high-risk categories for systemic infections should not eat raw sprouts.
.gif)
The caution against sprouts for the young, elderly and immuno-compromised has been repeated for more than a decade by both the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. At one point, there was even talk of requiring warning labels on the product. But as the CDC noted in one of its studies of Salmonella contamination of sprouts, people continue to be more likely to view sprouts as a healthy food than as a possible vehicle for Salmonella or E. coli 0157:H7.
For people who continue to eat sprouts, heath officials recommend cooking before eating to reduce risks of illness.
National food safety law firm PritzkerOlsen, P.A., is involved in the latest sprouts outbreak, representing victims. Besides having a reputation for collecting large sums on behalf of people injured or killed by adulterated food, the firm is devoted to educating the public about food safety issues and advocating for badly needed food safety legislation and increased funding for the federal, state and local agencies charged with protecting our food and enforcing food safety laws. Salmonella lawyers at the firm can be reached at 1-888-377-8900 (toll free) or by completing an online case consultation form.
The most recent Salmonella outbreak possibly related to sprouts was announced in early March by the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services. Health investigators found a correlation between ill persons and the consumption of CW Sprouts. The company agreed to a voluntary recall on March 3 but has denied being the source of the outbreak, which has grown to more than 100 confirmed cases mainly centered in Nebraska, Iowa and South Dakota.
From 1995 through 2001, CDC recorded 15 Salmonella outbreaks caused by contaminated sprouts. In the same period, two E. coli O157:H7 outbreaks were linked to sprouts. In Japan in 1996, contaminated radish sprouts were blamed for the world's largest recorded outbreak of E. coli -- 6,000 cases.
According to CDC and FDA literature, sprouts can become contaminated with Salmonella or E coli organisms during seed production, germination, processing or consumer handling. Once the bacteria in introduced, the same environmental conditions that are suitable for sprouting are also ideal for increasing bacterial counts.
Salmonella can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people and others with weakened immune systems. Healthy persons infected with Salmonella often experience fever, diarrhea (which may be bloody), nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain. In rare circumstances, infection with Salmonella can result in the organism getting into the bloodstream and producing more severe illnesses such as arterial infections (i.e., infected aneurysms), endocarditis (swelling of the lining the heart) and arthritis. Most cases in healthy people resolve without the need for medical attention, but hospitalizations are not uncommon.
