Alfalfa Sprouts Sold in Iowa Recalled Due To Salmonella Cases

A food service company in the Midwest is recalling hundreds of pounds of alfalfa sprouts, including here in Iowa, due to a salmonella outbreak.

The Des Moines Register reports that SunSprout Enterprises of Nebraska stated that their recall includes over 800 pounds of sprouts that it sold to five food service companies and grocery stores in Nebraska, Iowa, and Kansas in November and December. Health officials say that they have linked cases of salmonella to the sprouts eaten at several restaurants and sold at several grocery store chains.

The Register reports that Nebraska health officials are urging residents not to eat sprouts after they linked the illnesses to them. Most of the salmonella cases were found in the Omaha area. While no salmonella cases have yet been found outside of Nebraska, the FDA says it is conducting a multi-state investigation. The recalled sprouts were sold under the SunSprouts brand. They have an expiration date between December 10th and 27th and have lot numbers of either 4211 or 5211.

Officials with SunSprout stress that the recall is voluntary and the Register reports that there have been no positive salmonella tests at the company's plant where the FDA visited Thursday.