U.S. health authorities link food poisoning outbreak to alfalfa sprouts
- U.S. health officials say a food poisoning outbreak in 15 states has been linked to alfalfa sprouts.
- The CDC said it was aware of 55 cases nationwide, including four hospitalizations.
- Cases have been reported in states including Minnesota, Wisconsin, Florida, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, New Hampshire, New York, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, South Carolina, North Dakota, South Dakota and Washington.
- Among 34 sick people interviewed, 26 said they had eaten alfalfa sprouts.
- Investigators identified multiple pathogens in the outbreak, including salmonella and different strains of E. coli.
- The sprouts were linked to Everything Sprouts of Minnesota, sold under the Calco and Everything Sprouts brands, and no recall had been issued at the time.
U.S. health authorities say a multistate food poisoning outbreak has been linked to alfalfa sprouts. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Friday that it knew of 55 illnesses across 15 states, with four people hospitalized.
State officials first announced the outbreak earlier in the week and said they had documented more than three dozen cases in Minnesota and Wisconsin. The CDC said additional cases had been reported in several other states, including Florida, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, New Hampshire, New York, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, South Carolina, North Dakota, South Dakota and Washington.
The Food and Drug Administration said that among 34 sick people interviewed, 26 reported eating alfalfa sprouts. Investigators said the outbreak is unusual because it involves multiple pathogens, including salmonella and different strains of E. coli.
Officials linked the sprouts to Everything Sprouts, a Minnesota grower, and said they were sold to restaurants and grocery stores under the Calco and Everything Sprouts brands. The FDA said the company had not issued a recall. Last year, the agency sent Everything Sprouts a warning letter citing concerns found during inspections, including a leaking roof over bean sprouts and workers' aprons.
美国卫生官员将食源性疾病暴发与苜蓿芽联系起来
美国卫生官员表示，一起跨州食源性疾病暴发与苜蓿芽有关。美国疾控中心周五说，目前已知有15个州共55例发病，其中4人住院。
州级官员本周早些时候先行公布了这起暴发，并称明尼苏达和威斯康星已记录到30多例病例。疾控中心说，此外在佛罗里达、印第安纳、爱荷华、堪萨斯、密歇根、新罕布什尔、纽约、宾夕法尼亚、北卡罗来纳、南卡罗来纳、北达科他、南达科他和华盛顿等州也报告了病例。
美国食品和药物管理局说，在接受访谈的34名患者中，有26人表示吃过苜蓿芽。调查人员指出，这起暴发较为少见，因为其中涉及多种病原体，包括沙门氏菌和不同菌株的大肠杆菌。
官员把涉事苜蓿芽指向明尼苏达州的 Everything Sprouts，并称这些产品以 Calco 和 Everything Sprouts 品牌销往餐馆和杂货店。FDA表示，该公司当时尚未召回产品。去年，FDA曾向 Everything Sprouts 发出警告信，称此前检查发现多项问题，包括屋顶漏水滴到豆芽上，以及员工围裙受污染的担忧。