FDA Links Multistate Salmonella Outbreak to Recalled Broccoli Sprouts

Consumers in the Pacific Northwest should immediately check their refrigerators for Evergreen Fresh Sprouts broccoli sprouts, as federal health agencies have linked the product to a 22-person Salmonella outbreak across four states. Measured by the latest epidemiological data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the outbreak has hospitalized two individuals and prompted a regional recall of the raw sprouts. The affected 4-ounce packages carry expiration dates ranging from September 7 to September 16, 2026.[1][2]

The outbreak centers on Evergreen Fresh Sprouts, LLC, a commercial grower based in Moyie Springs, Idaho. According to the Food and Drug Administration, the company distributed the recalled broccoli sprouts to grocery stores, restaurants, and foodservice customers throughout Idaho, Montana, and Washington between late August and early September. The product was sold in clear plastic zip-lock bags and clamshell containers bearing the UPC code 8 38796 00105 1.[1][4]

State health departments drove the initial discovery of the contamination. The recall was officially initiated on September 4 after Montana health officials tested an unopened package of the company's broccoli sprouts collected directly from a sick patient's home. Whole genome sequencing conducted by state laboratories confirmed that the Salmonella Bovismorbificans strain found inside the packaging was a genetic match to the bacteria sickening patients across the region.[1][3]

The epidemiological evidence pointing to the Idaho facility is unusually strong for a produce outbreak. Of the 19 patients interviewed by health officials so far, 100 percent reported eating raw sprouts in the days before their illness began. Furthermore, 17 of those 19 individuals specifically recalled consuming broccoli sprouts.[1][2]

Washington state has borne the brunt of the outbreak, reporting 16 of the 22 confirmed cases. The remaining six cases are distributed across Montana, Idaho, and Utah. Illness onset dates range from July 7 to August 26, 2026, though health officials caution that recent illnesses may not yet be recorded due to the standard two-to-four-week reporting lag inherent in Salmonella tracking.[2][3]

Federal regulators are issuing strict directives to both consumers and the commercial supply chain. "Consumers, restaurants, and retailers should not eat, serve, or sell recalled broccoli sprouts grown by Evergreen Fresh Sprouts, LLC," the FDA stated in its outbreak investigation notice. The agency emphasized that the product must be discarded immediately, regardless of whether it looks or smells spoiled.[1]

Beyond disposal, the FDA is urging rigorous hygiene protocols for anyone who handled the recalled product. Because Salmonella bacteria can easily cross-contaminate other foods, officials advise consumers to thoroughly wash and sanitize any refrigerator drawers, kitchen countertops, or storage containers that may have come into contact with the raw sprouts.[1][4]

Salmonella infection typically causes diarrhea, fever, and severe abdominal cramps within 12 to 72 hours of consuming contaminated food. While most healthy adults recover within four to seven days without medical intervention, the bacteria poses a severe risk to children under five, the elderly, and individuals with weakened immune systems. Both of the hospitalizations in this outbreak involved patients who required advanced medical care for dehydration and systemic infection.[1][2]

The FDA's traceback investigation remains active as officials work to determine whether the contaminated broccoli sprouts reached states beyond the initial three-state distribution network. In the meantime, public health agencies are urging anyone who develops severe symptoms after eating raw sprouts to contact a healthcare provider and report their illness to their local health department.[1][3]