Broccoli sprouts have been linked to an outbreak of Salmonella, federal regulators said on Sept. 9.
Twenty-two people have been infected with a strain of Salmonella across four states. Of the 19 people interviewed by investigators, 100 percent reported eating sprouts, and all but two said they ate broccoli sprouts.
Investigations by the Food and Drug Administration, in conjunction with states, identified Evergreen Fresh Sprouts LLC as the grower of the broccoli sprouts consumed by patients who became ill, the FDA said, in its first comment on the outbreak.
Evergreen Fresh Sprouts LLC, which could not be reached for comment, recalled the products after a positive Salmonella test from a sample collected and analyzed by officials in Montana.
The sprouts were sold to co-ops, restaurants, grocery stores, and customers in Idaho, Montana, and Washington. They were sold in plastic bags or clamshell containers and had expiration dates of Sept. 7, Sept. 9, Sept. 11, Sept. 14, or Sept. 16.
Businesses and people with the sprouts should not consume them, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said. They can be thrown out or returned to the place of purchase.
The CDC also advised people to wash any items and surfaces that the recalled broccoli sprouts may have touched, using hot soapy water or a dishwasher.
Salmonella are bacteria that can make people sick. Infections can happen when people consume contaminated food, among other ways.
Symptoms include watery diarrhea, stomach cramps, and nausea. Symptoms usually appear six hours to six days after becoming infected, and typically last four to seven days. Children younger than 5 and adults aged 65 and older are among those who may experience more severe symptoms.
People should stay hydrated and seek medical care if symptoms become severe, such as a fever above 102 degrees Fahrenheit along with diarrhea, or bloody diarrhea.
Illnesses in the outbreak started July 7 and continued through Aug. 26 across Idaho, Montana, Utah, and Washington. Most of the sick people were in Washington, according to the FDA. Of the 22 cases, two were hospitalized. No deaths have been reported.
The outbreak is separate from a different outbreak of Salmonella and E. coli that has been linked to alfalfa sprouts and is also being investigated by federal officials.
That outbreak has sickened 55 people across Florida, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Washington state, and Wisconsin, the FDA said on Aug. 31.