FDA releases additional details of outbreak investigations

The Food and Drug Administration has released additional information on several foodborne illness outbreaks in Executive Incident Summary Abstracts. Portions of the reports were redacted.

For an outbreak of Salmonella Oranienburg infections traced to alphafa sprouts reported in August this year, the FDA is now reporting that illnesses with the same genetic fingerprint were reported in 2009. 

The outbreak illnesses were linked to sprouts from a hydroponic farming business in Arizona, but the FDA did not report the name of the business in its executive summary. Similarly, the FDA has not reported where outbreak patients said they bought the sprouts.

Both the FDA and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention identified sprouts as the leading item of interest based on the genetic link and patient interviews.

On Aug. 29 the FDA conducted an onsite inspection of the implicated farm and collected product samples and samples from the production area. The FDA issued a form A483 report indicating violations of federal law related to sanitation and building problems.

For an outbreak of Salmonella Anatum infections traced to Deep brand frozen moth and mung bean sprouts, the outbreak strain was found in product samples. The sprouts were recalled.

There were 12 confirmed patients in 11 states. Illness onset dates ranged from Oct. 22, 2024, to Aug. 5, 2025.

The FDA conducted inspections at Chetak Chicago LLC as well as a for-cause inspection of the company’s Foreign Supplier Verification Program (FSVP) at its San Francisco location. The San Francisco inspection closed with the FDA issuing a form 483 report informing the company that its operation was in violation of federal law.

The FDA issued an Import Alert for the enhanced screening of products from an unnamed foreign company.

For an outbreak of Salmonella Enteritidis that ran from April through August this year, the FDA’s executive summary confirmed that eggs from Country Eggs LLC in California were the source of the infections. There were 105 confirmed patients from 14 states from coast to coast. Ninety percent of the patients reported eating eggs before becoming ill.

Some of the patients reported eating eggs at restaurants. Restaurant locations reported using brown eggs branded as Jidori, Mizuho, or eggs with a product description including Golden Yolks or Sunshine Yolks that were supplied by Country Eggs LLC. In August, he company initiated a recall of all eggs with sell-by dates between July 1 through Sept. 16.

A comprehensive Egg Rule Inspection of Country Eggs LLC was conducted on August. 26. The FDA issued a form 483 inspection report noting gaps in the company’s Salmonella Enteritidis prevention plan and required records that constitute violations of federal law.

Egg samples collected at the company’s production facility were positive for the outbreak strain.