A new recall has been issued for alfalfa sprouting seeds that may be contaminated with two potentially life-threatening bacteria.
Berlin Seeds, an Ohio-based company, is recalling 950 pounds of its Alfalfa Sprouting Seed after the product was found to have the potential to contain Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) and/or Salmonella.
The recall covers Berlin Seeds-branded Alfalfa Sprouting Seed sold in 1/4-pound, 1/2-pound, 1-pound, 5-pound and 50-pound packages.
The recalled seeds were sold at Berlin Seeds’ retail store in Millersburg, Ohio, and through the company’s website between February 13, 2026, and August 23, 2026. Customers in 44 states may have purchased the product.
Berlin Seeds said one illness has so far been reported directly to the company.
The recall began after the company’s seed supplier informed Berlin Seeds that the seeds had been used by a sprout grower whose finished sprouts were included in an FDA investigation into a multistate E. coli and Salmonella outbreak.
According to the recall notice, the supplier also told Berlin Seeds that a water sample used to irrigate the produce had tested positive for E. coli.
The CDC and FDA are jointly investigating the multistate outbreak, which has been linked to alfalfa sprouts. In its latest update on September 1, the CDC said 55 people had become ill and four had been hospitalized across 15 states.
The CDC says at least two recalls have been associated with the outbreak, including alfalfa and radish sprouts sold by Everything Sprouts, LLC.
Another recall is being issued for alfalfa sprouts that are feared to be contaminated with two types of life-threatening bacteria (stock image)
The recalled sprouts were sold to customers in Alaska, Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Iowa, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Mississippi, Montana, North Carolina, North Dakota, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, West Virginia and Wyoming.
Health officials are advising anyone who purchased the recalled product not to eat it. Consumers should throw it away or return it to the store for a full refund.
Any utensils, containers or surfaces that may have come into contact with the recalled alfalfa sprouts should also be cleaned with hot, soapy water or placed in a dishwasher.
Anyone who develops symptoms after eating the sprouts—including a temperature above 102F or diarrhea lasting more than two days—should contact their primary care physician immediately.
The E. coli strain associated with the recall produces Shiga toxins, which can damage the lining of the intestines and lead to severe stomach cramps, watery or bloody diarrhea, fever and vomiting.
The infection can also damage blood vessels in the kidneys, potentially causing hemolytic uremic syndrome, or HUS, a life-threatening kidney condition.
Salmonella can enter the bloodstream and trigger sepsis, a potentially fatal condition in which the immune system mounts an extreme response to an infection.
Most healthy adults recover from these infections within about a week. However, children younger than five, older adults and people with weakened immune systems face a greater risk of severe illness and complications.
The CDC and FDA are jointly investigating a multi-state outbreak of E.coli and Salmonella linked to alfalfa sprouts. The most recent recall has not yet been linked to the outbreak
Officials have not specified how the contamination occurred. Food can become contaminated when it comes into contact with water tainted by animal feces or is irrigated with contaminated water.
A contaminated food can then also spread bacteria to machinery, which then spreads it to other products.
E. coli typically sickens people between two and eight days after exposure.
Most patients develop bloody diarrhea and vomiting, as well as stomach cramps, but recover within a week. In more severe cases, some develop HUS, a type of kidney failure most common in children under five, the elderly and people with compromised immune systems.
Symptoms include easy bruising, decreased urine and a pale appearance. A kidney transplant may be necessary in severe or life-threatening instances.
Salmonella can cause diarrhea, fever, stomach cramps and dehydration – symptoms that require medical attention, particularly for children under five, adults over 65 and those with weakened immune systems.
While most cases resolve with supportive care, primarily hydration and rest, doctors can also use antibiotics to help clear infections.
Salmonella is one of the leading causes of foodborne illness in the US, triggering about 1.35 million infections, 23,000 hospitalizations and 450 deaths every year.
E. coli triggers about 70,000 infections every year, 2,100 hospitalizations and 61 deaths.
