Alfalfa Sprouts Hotbed of Bacteria

The salmonella outbreak related to alfalfa sprouts has been linked to 23 illnesses in 10 states thus far. The salmonella poisoning cases were reported between the beginning of  March through May 2nd. Caldwell Fresh Foods based in Maywood, California has voluntarily recalled their product, which has been sold under three different names in 18 different states. Nature’s Choice, Caldwell Fresh Foods and California Exotics are the names in which the company sells under.

The people sickened remembered eating alfalfa sprouts at home or in a restaurant. A 4 month old baby who became sickened after being fed the sprouts tipped health officials off to the cause of the salmonella outbreak. It has been reported that 6 of the 23 sickened were hospitalized but all are expected to make a full recovery.

The  sprouts were sold in grocery stores like Wal-Mart and Trader Joes along with several other chains. Delicatessens and restaurants may have also sold the contaminated sprouts. Officials in Oregon believe the sprouts were dispersed among 400 different stores around the South, West and Midwest. The company’s processing plant in California was visited by federal and state health officials on Thursday. The officials collected samples from finished products as well as swabs from processing equipment.

Alfalfa sprouts are notorious for carrying food borne illnesses because of the way they are grown. Sprouts are grown in dark, warm, damp areas, making them ripe for bacteria growth. People with weakened immune systems, elderly and young children should not eat any type of raw sprouts.