More People Sick In Outbreak Traced To Sprouting Seeds
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As of Oct. 7, 2026, 32 people in six states were confirmed sick in a Salmonella Bovismorbificans outbreak linked to broccoli sprouts and microgreens. Testing found the outbreak strain in sprouts and in seeds from an implicated lot; two retailers have recalled products, while the FDA has not named the seed supplier.

Thirty-two people in six states have been confirmed sick in a Salmonella Bovismorbificans outbreak linked to broccoli sprouts and microgreens grown from contaminated seeds, according to information reported by Food Safety News. Three people have been hospitalized, and no deaths have been reported. The FDA has not identified the seed supplier publicly, while two companies have recalled broccoli seed products connected to lot W4105.

The confirmed patients live in Idaho, Minnesota, Montana, Oregon, Utah and Washington. Illness onset dates ranged from July 7 through Sept. 3, and Sept. 3 was the latest onset date reported as of Oct. 7. The case count and health outcomes are current to that date; the investigation remains active.

Among 27 patients interviewed by Sept. 24, 26 said they had eaten sprouts or microgreens. Twenty-two specifically reported eating broccoli sprouts, and one reported eating a microgreen mix containing broccoli microgreens. Those reports indicate a strong link in the investigation, but do not mean every patient reported the same product or that all implicated products have been identified.

Washington officials tested Evergreen Fresh Sprouts-brand broccoli sprouts collected from a grocery store and from a sick person’s home. The samples contained the same Salmonella strain associated with the outbreak. Separately, the FDA said a seed sample from the supplier identified during the investigation tested positive, and whole genome sequencing matched it to the outbreak strain. According to the FDA update, the supplier recalled the implicated lot and contacted its customers.

On Oct. 2, EAK Distribution recalled Home Grown brand green sprouting broccoli seeds after being notified of the supplier’s recall and the connection to the outbreak. On Oct. 7, Eden Brothers LLC recalled calabrese broccoli seeds sold in packets and in 1-ounce and 1-pound sizes. The Eden Brothers recall covers lots 1022067 and 1022068, associated with supplier lot W4105.

At a glance
updateWhen: Updated Oct. 7, 2026; investigation ong…
The developmentThe confirmed case count in a multistate Salmonella outbreak linked to broccoli sprouts and microgreens reached 32, with recalls issued for products made from implicated seed lot W4105.

How Seed Recalls Affect Consumers

The findings connect illness reports not only to sprouts people ate, but also to a specific seed lot that may have entered more than one part of the retail supply chain. Sprouting seeds are sold for growing at home as well as used to produce sprouts and microgreens, so identifying downstream recipients matters for determining which products may need to be removed or recalled.

The FDA said the implicated seeds sold by EAK Distribution and Eden Brothers were distributed in Idaho, Montana and Washington, and may have been distributed further. The agency is working with the supply chain to identify other companies that may have received seeds. Until that tracing is complete, the public list of affected products may not capture every product connected to the lot.

The reported 32 cases are a count of confirmed patients, not a reliable measure of everyone who became ill. Some people may not seek medical care, and some who do may not be tested. The source report cites the CDC estimate that for every Salmonella case identified, 29 may go undetected. That estimate is a general surveillance measure, not an outbreak-specific count, and should not be used to calculate a confirmed total for this outbreak.

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Tracing the Contaminated Seed Lot

The investigation began with reports of Salmonella Bovismorbificans infections and patients’ food histories. Officials found that most interviewed patients had eaten sprouts or microgreens, and Washington testing later detected the outbreak strain in Evergreen Fresh Sprouts-brand broccoli sprouts. The FDA also reported a positive seed sample from the supplier identified during the investigation, with whole genome sequencing linking it to the strain sickening patients.

The FDA has described the seeds as coming from a contaminated seed lot, but has not publicly named the supplier. The agency’s investigation is focused on tracing that lot through businesses that received it. The recalls by EAK Distribution and Eden Brothers identify products and lot numbers associated with W4105; they do not, by themselves, establish that those were the only products or customers reached by the seed lot.

This outbreak is separate from another outbreak involving E. coli and Salmonella linked to alfalfa sprouts, according to the source report. The FDA has also not publicly named the seed supplier involved in that separate investigation. The two investigations should not be treated as one event.

“The seed sample tested positive and whole genome sequencing (WGS) analysis showed that it matched the same Salmonella Bovismorbificans strain that made people sick in this outbreak.”

— U.S. Food and Drug Administration, in an outbreak update quoted by Food Safety News

Supplier Identity and Distribution Reach

The seed supplier’s name has not been disclosed publicly, and the available information does not explain why the FDA is withholding it. The agency has said it is working through the supply chain to determine which other companies received seeds. It is not yet clear how many additional products or sellers could be involved, or whether further recalls will follow.

The confirmed count may also change as health departments identify and test additional patients. The latest reported illness onset was Sept. 3, but that date does not establish when the outbreak ended. No deaths had been reported as of Oct. 7. The source material does not provide a complete list of stores or locations where recalled products were sold.

Further Recalls and Case Updates

The FDA is continuing its supply-chain investigation to identify additional recipients of the implicated seed lot. Any further recalls or product notices would help clarify the lot’s distribution beyond the products already named by EAK Distribution and Eden Brothers. Consumers and retailers should check the companies’ recall information for the specified brands, package sizes and lot numbers rather than assume that every broccoli seed or sprout product is affected.

Health agencies may update the case count, illness timeline and product information as more interviews, testing and traceback work are completed. For now, the latest confirmed figures in the source report are 32 patients across six states, three hospitalizations and no reported deaths, as of Oct. 7, 2026.

Key Questions

What foods are linked to this outbreak?

The investigation links the outbreak to broccoli sprouts and microgreens grown from contaminated seeds. Washington officials detected the outbreak strain in samples of Evergreen Fresh Sprouts-brand broccoli sprouts. The FDA also found the outbreak strain in a seed sample from the supplier identified in the investigation.

Which seed products have been recalled?

EAK Distribution recalled Home Grown brand green sprouting broccoli seeds on Oct. 2. Eden Brothers recalled calabrese broccoli seeds on Oct. 7 in packets and in 1-ounce and 1-pound sizes, covering Eden Brothers lots 1022067 and 1022068 and supplier lot W4105. Check the companies’ notices for product and lot details.

How many people have been hospitalized or died?

As of Oct. 7, three of the 32 confirmed patients had been hospitalized. No deaths had been reported.

Has the FDA named the seed supplier?

No. The FDA has not publicly identified the supplier. It said the seed sample tested positive for Salmonella matching the outbreak strain and that the supplier recalled the implicated lot and contacted customers.

Could more people or products be affected?

Yes, but the extent is not yet clear. The FDA is tracing the seed lot to determine whether other companies received it, and the confirmed case count may rise as investigations continue. The reported 32 cases are confirmed patients, not an estimate of everyone who may have become ill.

Source: rss

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