Personal Injury Law

Iowa Health Officials Kept Focus For Salmonella St. Paul Outbreak On SunSprout Enterprises

By Marler Clark LLP

The recall of sprouts by SunSprout Enterprises Inc. of Omaha, Neb did not come quick enough for 34 Iowans including 3 living clear across the state on the banks of the Mississippi River in Scott County.

The 34 Iowans are suffering from Salmonella St. Paul, the very bacteria found in the recalled sprouts. After the Omaha firm's March 3 recall of alfalfa sprouts, onion sprouts, and gourmet sprouts because of possible salmonella contamination, people in the upper midwest began getting sick.

According to the Quad City Times, the three Scott County victims ate the bad sprouts at at a local restaurant, but health officials are not holding it accountable.  The newspaper reported that:

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration, or FDA, announced March 3 a recall of alfalfa sprouts, onion sprouts and gourmet sprouts because of a possible health risk.

Several cases of Salmonella St. Paul were reported in Nebraska and Iowa, and the supplier, SunSprout Enterprises Inc. of Omaha, Neb., voluntarily recalled its product.

However, those warnings came after the area restaurant had unknowingly served sprouts supplied by the Omaha firm and also after the three customers had eaten the affected food items, Hall said. 'The restaurant would not have had the information at the time to know sprouts were a concern,' she added.

Quad City health officials were aggressive in contacting area sprout outlets as soon as the warning was issued.   For more from the QCT, go here.

Full post as published by Salmonella Blog on April 15, 2009 (boomark / email).