The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has issued a report advising people not to consume raw clover sprouts by Evergreen Fresh Spouts after receiving several reports of E. coli illnesses in Washington and Idaho.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued a statement, asking people not to consume raw clover sprouts by Evergreen Fresh Spouts after receiving several reports of E. coli illnesses in Washington and Idaho.
The report revealed that it has already received seven confirmed and three probable cases of Shiga toxin-producing E. coli from the two states. The organization is working in collaboration with public health officials in Idaho and Washington and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to investigate the multistate outbreak.
"We advise people not to eat raw clover sprouts from Evergreen Fresh Sprouts until further notice," said Washington State Health Officer Dr. Kathy Lofy in a press statement. "If you have these products at home, you should throw them out."
Health officials pointed out that though initial investigations have linked the outbreak to products marketed by Evergreen Fresh Spouts, the seed of the infection hasn't been determined yet. They advice that people with uncompromised immune systems should also refrain from consuming any sprouts marketed under this brand.
"Anyone who thinks they may have become ill from eating contaminated sprouts should consult their health care provider," said Lofy. "The elderly and very young children are more likely to become severely ill from Shiga toxin-producing E. coli infection."
Some symptoms of the infection include bloody diarrhea, abdominal cramps, fever, and vomiting. The infection can sometimes turn severe and fatal.
Sprouts are touted to be healthy food. They add beneficial, low-calorie crunch to salads and sandwiches. However, in 2011, Kevin Allen, lead author of a CBC commissioned study found that the moist , warm conditions that are imperative for growing bumper crops of sprouts also favor the thriving of bacteria. In the 44 samples he tested, 78 percent had microorganisms that were too many to count. Allen also noted that while one sample was contaminated with generic E. coli, nearly all samples had enterococci , including E. faecalis and E. faecium.
So how do the bacteria get into the sprouts? Previous studies have found that it is either from contamination at the seed level as plants grow in manure-enriched fields or in the sprouting facilities themselves.
Earlier last week, United States Food Safety and Inspection Service recalled 1.8 million pounds of ground beef products of the Wolverine Packing Company in Detroit, Michigan, due to a potential E. coli O157:H7 contamination. A list of the recalled products can be found here.
Early this week Hummus and walnut products sold at major retailers were recalled by two United States companies due to a possible listeria contamination. St. Louis-based Sherman Produce Co., plans to recall 241 cases of walnuts after a routine FDA testing revealed traces of Listeria. Massachusetts's Lansal Inc, (Hot Mamma Foods) is voluntarily pulling out hummus products that were sold at retailers such as Target and Trader Joe's, CBS News reported.
According to a CDC report, food-borne diseases are not uncommon. Every year 48 million Americans fall sick from eating contaminated food. Common outbreaks include Salmonella in eggs or vegetables, E. coli in beef and Listeria in dairy products.
E.coil infections are very common and the bacterium is usually harmless. However, the 0157:H7 strain can cause dehydration, bloody diarrhea and abdominal cramps. Though, in most cases, patients tend to get better on their own, severe cases of infection can lead to a near-deadly type of kidney failure known as hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS).
