Raw bean sprouts have been linked to 63 cases of Salmonella Enteritidis infection. The bean sprout product was produced by Wonton Foods, based in Brooklyn, NY. According to CDC, about 1/4 of those infected have been hospitalized. The cases have been seen in 10 states, mostly in the Northeast and New England.
Bean and seed sprouts are considered high risk food items. While beans and seeds are normally sanitized prior to beginning the sprouting process, any remaining pathogens on the beans or seeds, such as Salmonella or STEC E. coli, can grow under the conditions that are used to allow the beans or seeds to sprout and grow.
There have been a large number of outbreaks related to sprouts (clover sprouts and E. coli - June, 2014, bean sprouts and E. coli, 2011, sprouts and Salmonella, 2011 to name just a few).
No recall was conducted because the product was past the shelf-life date.
CDC Outbreak Notice
http://www.cdc.gov/salmonella/enteritidis-11-14/index.html
Multistate Outbreak of Salmonella Enteritidis Infections Linked to Bean Sprouts
Posted November 21, 2014 9:00 PM ET
Highlights
Read the Advice to Consumers and Retailers »
As of November 21, 2014, a total of 63 people infected with the outbreak strains of Salmonella Enteritidis have been reported from 10 states.
Twenty-six percent of ill persons have been hospitalized. No deaths have been reported.
Collaborative investigation efforts of state, local, and federal public health and regulatory agencies indicate that bean sprouts produced by Wonton Foods, Inc. are the likely source of this outbreak.
In interviews, 29 (78%) of 37 ill persons reported eating bean sprouts or menu items containing bean sprouts in the week before becoming ill.
The information available to date indicates that bean sprouts produced by Wonton Foods, Inc. may be contaminated with Salmonella and are not safe to eat. As of November 21, 2014, the firm has verbally agreed to voluntarily stop the production and sale of their bean sprouts.
CDC recommends that restaurants and other retailers do not sell or serve bean sprouts produced by Wonton Foods, Inc. at this time.
CDC recommends that consumers do not eat bean sprouts produced by Wonton Foods, Inc. at this time.
The firm is cooperating with public health and agriculture officials and has reported that their last shipment of bean sprouts was on November 18, 2014.
This ongoing investigation is rapidly evolving, and CDC will update the public when more information becomes available.
CDC News Release
Multistate Outbreak of Salmonella Enteritidis Infections Linked to Bean Sprouts
Highlights
- Read the Advice to Consumers and Retailers »(http://www.cdc.gov/salmonella/enteritidis-11-14/advice-consumers.html)
- As of December 2, 2014, a total of 87 people infected with the outbreak strains of Salmonella Enteritidis have been reported from 11 states.
- Twenty-seven percent of ill persons have been hospitalized. No deaths have been reported.
- CDC's National Antimicrobial Resistance Monitoring System (NARMS) laboratory conducted antibiotic resistance testing on Salmonella Enteritidis isolates collected from three ill persons infected with the outbreak strains.
- All three isolates were susceptible to all antibiotics tested on the NARMS panel.
- Collaborative investigation efforts of state, local, and federal public health and regulatory agencies indicate that bean sprouts produced by Wonton Foods, Inc. are the likely source of this outbreak.
- In interviews, 42 (78%) of 54 ill persons reported eating bean sprouts or menu items containing bean sprouts in the week before becoming ill.
- Wonton Foods, Inc. continues to cooperate with state and federal public health and agriculture officials.
- On November 21, 2014, Wonton Foods, Inc. agreed to destroy any remaining products while they conducted thorough cleaning and sanitization and implemented other Salmonella control measures. On November 24, the firm completed cleaning and sanitization and restarted production of bean sprouts. The firm resumed shipment on November 29, 2014
- Contaminated bean sprouts produced by Wonton Foods, Inc. are likely no longer available for purchase or consumption given the maximum 12-day shelf life of mung bean sprouts.
- CDC recommends that consumers, restaurants, and other retailers always practice food safety for sprouts.
- Children, older adults, pregnant women, and persons with weakened immune systems should avoid eating raw sprouts of any kind (including alfalfa, clover, radish, and mung bean sprouts).
- Cook sprouts thoroughly to reduce the risk of illness. Cooking sprouts thoroughly kills any harmful bacteria.
- This investigation is ongoing, and CDC will update the public when more information becomes available.
The Packer
UPDATE: Dozens sick in 10 states but no recall from sprout grower -
See more at: http://www.thepacker.com/fruit-vegetable-news/Dozens-sick-in-10-states-but-no-recall-from-sprout-grower-283723401.html#sthash.yF3T9W17.dpuf
(UPDATED COVERAGE Nov. 25) Despite 63 people in 10 states contracting salmonella infections traced to a New York City supplier of fresh sprouts, Wonton Food Inc. has not issued a recall and federal officials apparently haven’t asked for one.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Food and Drug Administration reported the outbreaks Nov. 21 and 23, respectively. Illnesses began Sept. 30 and more than a fourth of them were admitted to hospitals. People continued to get sick through at least Nov. 8, but the outbreak is not considered over yet by the CDC.
No deaths have been reported, according to CDC and FDA.
No one from Wonton Foods Inc., Brooklyn, N.Y., immediately responded to calls for comment Nov. 24.
An FDA spokesman said there wasn’t a recall because “the sprouts that would have been on the market prior to the onset of the illnesses reported would have been beyond their shelf life.” Spokesman Doug Karas said the firm agreed to destroy all seeds and finished sprouts that were grown from the seed lots that had been in use at the time of the illnesses, but he did not indicate when that commitment was made.
“On Nov. 21 Wonton Foods Inc. said that it would stop the production and sale of mung bean sprouts and take other actions to prevent salmonella contamination,” according to the FDA’s report. “The firm has reported that their last shipment of bean sprouts was on Nov. 18. FDA is continuing its investigation and will work with the firm on any required corrective actions.” Retailers, foodservice operators and restaurants are warned by CDC and FDA to clean and sanitize any equipment that came into contact with any fresh sprouts from Wonton Food to avoid potential cross contaminations.
Wonton Food was the only common supplier of fresh sprouts to restaurants where some of the sick people ate. It was the sole supplier to two of the restaurants, according to the CDC. Wonton Foods packages fresh sprouts in 10-pound bags, according to its website. The company has production facilities in Brooklyn, Houston and Nashville, Tenn., according to the website. The 63 people sickened with salmonella infections are in 10 states, according to the CDC. Those states are Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, Montana, New Hampshire, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and Vermont.
The one ill person from Montana traveled to the East during the period when likely exposure occurred. Health officials have identified five illness clusters in three states for this outbreak, representing areas where people with no known connections except where they ate the suspect sprouts have become ill. All of the sick people in the clusters reported eating menu items with fresh sprouts during the week before they became ill. Those clusters are in Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Vermont. - See more at: http://www.thepacker.com/fruit-vegetable-news/Dozens-sick-in-10-states-but-no-recall-from-sprout-grower-283723401.html#sthash.yF3T9W17.dpuf
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