Salmonella Outbreak Linked to Alfalfa Sprouts

Illustration with a triangle and exclamation mark and text reading Food Safety Alert

Posted February 28, 2023

This outbreak is over. Learn what you can do to protect yourself from getting sick from Salmonella.

Fast Facts
  • Illnesses: 63
  • Hospitalizations: 10
  • Deaths: 0
  • States: 8
  • Recall: Yes
  • Investigation status: Closed
Outbreak Investigation Summary

Data showed that alfalfa sprouts made people in this outbreak sick.

  • Of the 50 people interviewed, 35 (70%) reported eating alfalfa sprouts.
  • Eight of the people who got sick in this outbreak confirmed they had purchased Sun Sprouts brand alfalfa sprouts from their local grocery store.

On December 29, 2022, SunSprout Enterprises recalled four lots of raw alfalfa sprouts.

What You Should Do

Cook sprouts thoroughly to reduce your risk of illness.

Eating raw or undercooked sprouts may lead to food poisoning. That’s because the warm, humid conditions needed to grow sprouts are also ideal for germs to multiply.

It’s especially important to avoid raw sprouts if you are in a group more likely to get seriously sick from food poisoning: adults aged 65 and older, children younger than age 5, people with weakened immune systems, and pregnant people.