MINNEAPOLIMEDIA NEWS | State Health Officials Issue Recall Order for Locally Grown Sprouts Linked to Four Germs in Multistate Outbreak

SAINT PAUL, MN (August 21, 2026) Minnesota health and agriculture officials issued an emergency public health warning on Thursday, August 20, urging consumers and commercial food service operators to discard specific brands of locally grown alfalfa sprouts linked to a complex bacterial outbreak. The consumer warning applies to alfalfa sprouts distributed under the "Calco" and "Everything Sprouts" brand names.

The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) and Wisconsin Department of Health Services confirmed that laboratory testing identified a rare combination of four distinct pathogens in the implicated product: Salmonella and three separate serogroups of Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC O103:H25, STEC O26:H11, and STEC O168:H8). Epidemiological tracking has confirmed 23 illness cases in Minnesota between July 8 and August 8, resulting in two hospitalizations, alongside at least 17 confirmed cases in Wisconsin.

The sprouts were produced by Minneapolis-based grower Everything Sprouts and distributed broadly to retail grocery stores and commercial food service venues across the region. Because the sprouts were supplied directly to restaurants, public health investigators emphasized that many affected individuals may have consumed the product on sandwiches, wraps, or salads without seeing the retail brand names.

Historical inspection records indicate that federal food safety inspectors previously documented sanitary compliance issues at the facility, including roof condensation near processing equipment. State inspectors are currently working directly with the grower to pull remaining inventory from commercial supply chains and verify complete decontamination of processing lines. Health officials advise anyone who experiences severe abdominal cramping, persistent fever, or bloody diarrhea after consuming alfalfa sprouts to seek immediate medical evaluation.

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