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As of Oct. 7, health officials had identified 32 Salmonella Bovismorbificans infections in six states linked to broccoli sprouts and microgreens. Three people were hospitalized, no deaths were reported, and recalls cover certain broccoli seed products from EAK Distribution and Eden Brothers. The FDA has not publicly named the seed supplier and is investigating where else the implicated lot may have gone.
Health officials had identified 32 confirmed Salmonella Bovismorbificans infections across six states as of Oct. 7 in an outbreak linked to broccoli sprouts and microgreens grown from a contaminated seed lot. Three patients were hospitalized, and no deaths had been reported; the FDA has not named the seed supplier, while recalls cover certain broccoli seed products sold by EAK Distribution and Eden Brothers.
The illnesses were reported in Idaho, Minnesota, Montana, Oregon, Utah and Washington. The reported onset dates ranged from July 7 through Sept. 3, and the most recent patient identified had symptoms begin on Sept. 3. The case count reflects infections confirmed to date, not necessarily everyone who became ill.
Among 27 people interviewed by officials as of Sept. 24, 26 said they had eaten sprouts or microgreens. Twenty-two specifically reported broccoli sprouts, and one reported a microgreen mix containing broccoli microgreens. In Washington, officials tested Evergreen Fresh Sprouts-brand broccoli sprouts collected from a grocery store and from a sick person’s home; both were contaminated with the same Salmonella strain linked to the outbreak.
The FDA said laboratory testing connected the implicated seed lot to the outbreak. A seed sample collected and analyzed during the investigation tested positive for Salmonella, and whole genome sequencing showed a match to the strain making people sick. The agency said the supplier recalled the lot and contacted its customers. The supplier’s name has not been released publicly.
Recalls Reach Seed Buyers
The investigation matters to consumers because the implicated seeds were sold for growing, and the FDA says the contaminated lot was distributed to businesses in Idaho, Montana and Washington, with possible further distribution. That leaves open the possibility that other sellers or customers received seeds from the same lot. The agency is working with companies in the supply chain to identify additional recipients.
Two companies have announced recalls of products associated with supplier lot W4105. On Oct. 2, EAK Distribution recalled Home Grown brand green sprouting broccoli seeds after being notified of the supplier’s recall and the outbreak link. On Oct. 7, Eden Brothers recalled calabrese broccoli seeds in packets and in 1-ounce and 1-pound sizes, covering Eden Brothers lots 1022067 and 1022068. Consumers should check product names and lot details against the recall notices and follow the companies’ instructions.
Sprouts and microgreens are the foods most often reported among interviewed patients, but the investigation does not mean every product of those types is affected. The evidence cited by investigators concerns products associated with the implicated seed lot and the tested Evergreen Fresh sprouts. Anyone who believes they have a recalled seed product should not use it to grow food; the available source material does not specify additional handling or disposal instructions.
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How Investigators Matched the Lot
The outbreak investigation combined interviews about what patients ate with laboratory testing of food and seed samples. The reported food histories point strongly toward sprouts and microgreens: 26 of 27 interviewed patients said they had eaten one or both. In Washington, tests found the outbreak strain in Evergreen Fresh broccoli sprouts collected from a store and from a patient’s home.
The FDA’s account adds a separate link to the seeds: a sample from the supplier’s seed lot tested positive, and whole genome sequencing matched it to the Salmonella Bovismorbificans strain associated with the illnesses. The agency says that evidence led the supplier to recall the lot and notify customers. EAK Distribution and Eden Brothers then recalled specific broccoli seed products tied to that 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 identified the supplier in that separate investigation. That issue is distinct from the current case count and should not be confused with the broccoli seed recalls described here.
“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 outbreak update, as quoted by Food Safety News
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Supplier and Distribution Still Unclear
The FDA has not named the seed supplier, and the full distribution path for lot W4105 has not been established publicly. The agency says the seeds were distributed in Idaho, Montana and Washington but may have gone farther. It is not yet clear which additional businesses received them or whether more products will be recalled.
The reported 32 cases are confirmed infections as of Oct. 7, not a final total. The source report notes that some people with Salmonella do not seek medical care and others are not tested. It cites the CDC estimate that for every identified Salmonella case, 29 go undetected. That estimate indicates why the confirmed count may understate illnesses, but it does not establish how many people have been sick in this particular outbreak.
Investigators have not reported a death, and the latest recorded symptom onset among identified patients was Sept. 3. The available information does not explain whether additional cases are under review or whether the outbreak has ended. Those questions may change as health departments receive reports and the investigation continues.
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FDA Tracks More Seed Recipients
The FDA says it is continuing to work with the supply chain to find out what other companies may have received seeds from the unnamed supplier. Further distribution findings could lead to additional company notices or recalls. The agency has not announced a completion date for the investigation.
Consumers can compare their seed products with the recalled items and lot numbers: Home Grown brand green sprouting broccoli seeds recalled by EAK Distribution, and Eden Brothers calabrese broccoli seeds in packets and 1-ounce and 1-pound sizes, lots 1022067 and 1022068. The Eden Brothers recall identifies supplier lot W4105. People with products matching a recall should follow the instructions in the relevant company notice and avoid using them.
Health officials may also revise the case count as additional infections are identified and confirmed. For now, the confirmed total, hospitalizations and state list are those reported as of Oct. 7; the supplier’s identity, the full distribution footprint and any further recalls remain unresolved.
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Key Questions
How many people have been sick in the outbreak?
As of Oct. 7, 2026, officials had confirmed 32 Salmonella Bovismorbificans infections across six states. Three patients had been hospitalized, and no deaths had been reported. The count may change as the investigation continues.
Which states have reported cases?
The confirmed cases were in Idaho, Minnesota, Montana, Oregon, Utah and Washington.
Which products have been recalled?
EAK Distribution recalled Home Grown brand green sprouting broccoli seeds. Eden Brothers recalled calabrese broccoli seeds in packets and 1-ounce and 1-pound sizes, Eden Brothers lots 1022067 and 1022068, tied to supplier lot W4105.
Has the FDA named the seed supplier?
No. The FDA has said a seed sample from the supplier tested positive and matched the outbreak strain, but the supplier’s identity has not been made public. The agency is tracing where else the seeds may have been distributed.
Does the outbreak mean all broccoli sprouts are affected?
No. The reported evidence links the outbreak to products grown from a particular contaminated seed lot. The source material does not say that all broccoli sprouts or microgreens are affected; consumers should check the specific recall products and lot information.
Source: rss
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