Investigation Update: Salmonella Outbreak, September 2026

September 9, 2026

CDC, public health and regulatory officials in several states, and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) are collecting different types of data to investigate a multistate outbreak of Salmonella Bovismorbificans.

Epidemiologic, laboratory, and traceback data show that broccoli sprouts produced by Evergreen Fresh Sprouts, LLC are contaminated with Salmonella and are making people sick.

Epidemiologic data

Cases

Illnesses started on dates ranging from July 7, 2026, to August 26, 2026. The true number of sick people in this outbreak is likely much higher than the number reported, and this outbreak may not be limited to the states with known illnesses. This is because many people recover without medical care and are not tested for Salmonella. In addition, recent illnesses may not yet be reported as it usually takes 3 to 4 weeks to determine if a sick person is part of an outbreak.

Demographics

Public health officials collect many different types of information from sick people, including their age, race, ethnicity, other demographics, and the foods they ate in the week before they got sick. This information provides clues to help investigators identify the source of the outbreak.

The table below has information about sick people in this outbreak ("n" is the number of people with information available for each demographic).

Food exposure

State and local public health officials are interviewing people about the foods they ate in the week before they got sick. Of the 19 people interviewed, all 19 (100%) reported eating sprouts and 17 (89%) reported specifically eating broccoli sprouts.

This percentage is significantly higher than the 8.7% of respondents who reported eating any sprouts (including alfalfa, bean, or clover) in the FoodNet Population Survey—a survey that helps estimate how often people eat various foods linked to diarrheal illness. This difference suggests that people in this outbreak got sick from eating broccoli sprouts.

Laboratory and traceback data

Public health investigators are using the PulseNet system to identify illnesses that may be part of this outbreak. CDC PulseNet manages a national database of DNA fingerprints of bacteria that cause foodborne illnesses. DNA fingerprinting is performed on bacteria using a method called whole genome sequencing (WGS). WGS showed that bacteria from sick people's samples are closely related genetically. This suggests that people in this outbreak got sick from the same food.

Based on WGS analysis, bacteria from 18 people's samples had no predicted antimicrobial resistance. Bacteria from one person's sample were predicted to be resistant to streptomycin, sulfisoxazole, and tetracycline. Most people with Salmonella illness recover without antibiotics. However, if antibiotics are needed, this resistance is unlikely to affect the choice of antibiotic used to treat most people. More information is available at the National Antimicrobial Resistance Monitoring System (NARMS) site.

Officials in Montana collected an unopened package of broccoli sprouts from a sick person's home and WGS showed that it is the same Salmonella Bovismorbificans strain that made people sick in this outbreak.

FDA and state's traceback information identified broccoli sprouts produced by Evergreen Fresh Sprouts, LLC as a source of illness in this outbreak. FDA’s investigation is ongoing to determine the source of contamination in this outbreak and if additional products are affected.