Health Law

What is it about Sprouts and E. coli and Salmonella Outbreaks?

By Bill Marler

We are presently living through yet another Alfalfa sprout outbreak. This time it is S. I 4,[5],12:i:- sickening 94 thus far. Here is a look at outbreaks from the U. S. and Canada over the last two decades:

Year Type Pathogen Cases           Year Type Pathogen Cases

1990 Alfalfa S. Anatum 15               2000 Mung S. Enteritidis 75

1995 Alfalfa S. Stanley 128             2000 Mung S. Enteritidis 12

1995 Alfalfa S. Newport 133            2001 Alfalfa S. Kottbus 32

1995 Alfalfa S. Newport 69              2001 Alfalfa Salmonella spp. 22

1996 Alfalfa S. Stanley 30               2001 Mung S. Enteritidis 84

1996 Alfalfa S. Montevideo 650       2002 Alfalfa E. coli O157:H7 7

1997 Alfalfa S. Infantis 109              2003 Alfalfa S. Saintpaul 9

1997 Alfalfa E. coli O157:H7 108     2003 Alfalfa S. Chester 26

1997 Alfalfa S. Senftenberg 60        2003 Alfalfa E. coli O157:H7 7

1997 Alfalfa S. Meleagridis 78         2003 Alfalfa S. Saintpaul 16

1998 Alfalfa S. Havana 40               2003 Alfalfa E. coli O157:NM 13

1998 Alfalfa E. coli O157:NM 8       2004 Alfalfa Salmonella spp. 12

1999 Alfalfa S. Mbandaka 83          2005 Alfalfa E. coli O157:H7 1

1999 Alfalfa S. Typhimurium 119    2005 Mung Salmonella spp. 648

1999 Alfalfa S. Muenchen 61         2006 Bean S. Braenderup 4

1999 Alfalfa S. paratyphi B 51        2008 Alfalfa S. Typhimurium 13

1999 Alfalfa Salmonella spp. 34     2009 Alfalfa S. Saintpaul 6

1999 Alfalfa S. Muenchen 38         2009 Alfalfa S. Saintpaul 235

1999 Clover S. Saintpaul 36          2010 Alfalfa S. Newport 43

*Thanks to the CDC and Dr. Ben Chapman (UNC)

Full post as published by Food Poison Blog on December 29, 2010 (boomark / email).