Another Salmonella outbreak is being linked to alfalfa sprouts on sandwiches sold at Jimmy John’s sandwich stores, this time on the west coast.
Oregon Public Health Division is warning consumers to not eat clover sprouts produced by Sprouters Northwest of Kent, Wash. The department claims at least seven people in Washington and Oregon have been sickened with Salmonellosis linked to the product.
In December, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Food and Drug Administration and the state of Illinois reported nearly 97 people had been sickened with Salmonella from contaminated alfalfa sprouts linked to an Illinois organic farm, Tiny Greens, which also supplied sprouts to Jimmy John’s sandwich restaurants in the Midwest, according to news reports .
No deaths have been linked to the outbreak.
As a North Charleston foodborne illness attorney , I recommend avoiding Jimmy John’s sandwiches with sprouts, even in South Carolina, until the bacteria can be eliminated and the affected products. Consumers should throw away the products and be aware that even if the sprouts aren’t consumed, they can become ill through cross-contamination. A Salmonella food poisoning infection is potentially life-threatening and symptoms include vomiting, diarrhea, fever, and abdominal cramps 7-8 hours after infection. Symptoms may be more severe in young and elderly people, and those with weakened immune systems.