Alfalfa Sprouts Recalled After 15-State Outbreak Sickens 55
Everything Sprouts recalled alfalfa sprouts under its own and the Calco brand after a 15-state outbreak sickened 55 people with E. coli, Salmonella or both.
TL;DR — Everything Sprouts recalled alfalfa sprouts sold under its own and the Calco brand after a 15-state outbreak sickened 55 people with E. coli, Salmonella, or both, hospitalizing four.
Check the fridge: alfalfa sprouts sold in Minnesota and Wisconsin have been recalled after an outbreak that reached far beyond those two states.
What happened
Everything Sprouts, LLC recalled 5-ounce containers of alfalfa sprouts sold under the Everything Sprouts and Calco brands, lots 222, 223, 225, 226 and 230, after an outbreak that sickened 55 people across 15 states, hospitalizing four, with no deaths. Related Crunchy Protein Sprout Mix and Zesty Garlic Mix cups were also affected.
The outbreak is unusual for carrying two pathogen families: 46 E. coli cases, 7 Salmonella, and 2 people with both. The strains involved Shiga toxin-producing E. coli serotypes O26:H11, O103:H25 and O168:H8, plus Salmonella Agona. Illness onsets ran May 31 to August 8, 2026.
| Cases | Hospitalized | |
|---|---|---|
| Minnesota | 23 | 2 |
| Wisconsin | 17 | 1 |
| 13 other states | 15 | 1 |
| Total | 55 | 4 |
Product was distributed May 27 – August 21, 2026 to wholesale distributors and grocery stores in Minnesota and Wisconsin only — yet cases appeared in 15 states.
The details
The company statement — that no reports of illness had been made directly to it — is attributed to Everything Sprouts, LLC as an organization. No individual spokesperson was quoted in the available coverage.
Why it matters
- Distribution footprint is not illness footprint. Product shipped to two states; cases surfaced in fifteen.
- Sprouts are a recurring risk. Warm, humid germination suits pathogens as well as seeds.
- Two pathogens, one product. A dual E. coli and Salmonella outbreak points at the seed or water rather than a single handling lapse.
FAQ
Which sprouts were recalled?
5-ounce containers of alfalfa sprouts under the Everything Sprouts and Calco brands, lots 222, 223, 225, 226 and 230, plus related Crunchy Protein Sprout Mix and Zesty Garlic Mix cups. They were distributed in Minnesota and Wisconsin between May 27 and August 21, 2026.
How many people were affected?
55 people across 15 states were sickened — 46 with E. coli, 7 with Salmonella and 2 with both. Four were hospitalized and no deaths were reported. Minnesota (23) and Wisconsin (17) accounted for most cases.
Sources
- Food Safety News — sprout company recalls products linked to 15-state outbreak
- CBS News — alfalfa sprouts recall, E. coli and Salmonella outbreak
Image: “Sprouted Alfalfa” by Buelldm, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
← Back to all posts