Epidemiologic evidence indicates that raw sprouts served at Jimmy John’s restaurants are a likely source of a multistate outbreak of Salmonella Montevideo infections, the CDC reports. The most recent illness began on January 3, 2018.
The FDA is working with partners in Illinois and Wisconsin to trace back the clover sprouts to identify the source of the pathogen, to determine where the clover sprouts were distributed, and to learn more about the potential route of contamination.
The CDC reports that eight people have been infected with the outbreak strains of Salmonella Montevideo; two in Illinois, one in Michigan and five in Wisconsin. Seven of these eight people ate meals at Jimmy John’s restaurants in Illinois and Wisconsin the week before becoming sick.
All seven ill people report eating raw sprouts on sandwiches from Jimmy John’s. All the clinical isolates have the same DNA fingerprint of Salmonella Montevideo.
State and local partners including the Illinois Department of Public Health, the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection and the Wisconsin Department of Health Services have been assisting trace back activities in this outbreak by collecting invoices from various Jimmy John’s locations and/or distributors to help determine the source of the clover sprouts.
Source: FDA.gov