Health Law

Update on Sprouts Salmonella Outbreak: 235 confirmed illnesses

By Marler Clark

The CDC has updated its numbers with respect to the alfalfa sprouts outbreak.  See the full report here, which gives a good summary of the epidemiological evidence that establishes that Caudill Seed was the source of this outbreak.  My homework assignment for Lyle Orwig is to read this report before doing anymore interviews.  Seems to me that the CDC has linked this outbreak to Caudill Seed. 

The CDC update report is also instructive on the issue of Caudill's failure to recall the product.  Here's what Mr. Orwig had to say, including my commentary, on the necessity of a recall based on the known information. 

I don't know about Caudill Seed, or the FDA, or the CDC, but something has me a little frightened that nobody seems to be talking about:  the exceptionally long shelf-life of alfalfa sprout seeds.  The research that I've done suggests that the seeds may remain viable for years.  If that's true, and if the responsible entities fail to act in a timely and forceful manner, might we be seeing people get sick in this Salmonella Saintpaul outbreak for months to come?   If the answer is no--and it may in fact be--I wish somebody would tell me why not.  I mean, granted, the CDC's epi curve shows a significant reduction in illnesses in March and April, but does that mean that there isn't viable, contaminated seed out there waiting to be cultivated and, ultimately, consumed?

Full post as published by Food Poison Blog on May 12, 2009 (boomark / email).