The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued a food safety alert Friday warning people not to eat potentially contaminated alfalfa sprouts.
The public health agency said 55 people across 15 states — the majority in Minnesota and Wisconsin — have gotten sick with salmonella or E. coli and that the illnesses were linked to alfalfa sprouts. Four people were hospitalized.
Affected products included alfalfa sprouts grown by Minnesota-based Everything Sprouts and sold under the Calco and Everything Sprouts brands, the CDC said. Consumers are advised to throw away or return any potentially affected alfalfa sprouts and sanitize surfaces that may have touched the product.
The CDC typically issues food safety alerts when a recall cannot be recommended, such as before a specific source has been identified. A recall can sometimes follow.
Symptoms of E. coli infection include stomach cramps, diarrhea and vomiting usually three or four days after consumption. Symptoms of salmonella infection include diarrhea, fever and stomach cramps anywhere from six hours to six days after consumption.
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