Salmonella Bovismorbificans Outbreak Linked to Broccoli Sprouts Rises to 32 Cases in Six U.S. States

The FDA and CDC updated the investigation on September 24 into the Salmonella Bovismorbificans outbreak linked to broccoli sprouts grown by an Idaho producer. The total reaches 32 people sick (10 more than in the previous report) in six states: Idaho, Minnesota, Montana, Oregon, Utah and Washington. Three hospitalizations and no deaths have been recorded, with symptom onset between July 7 and September 3, 2026. The recall of the product, in plastic bags and clamshell containers, had already begun in early September.

The update adds a key piece of laboratory evidence: Washington state authorities collected sprout samples at a grocery store and at the home of a sick person, and both tested positive for Salmonella Bovismorbificans. Whole genome sequencing showed that they match the strain that sickened the patients. In parallel, of 27 people interviewed, 26 (96%) reported eating sprouts or microgreens, and 22 specifically identified broccoli sprouts.

Although the product was confirmed to have been distributed in Idaho, Montana and Washington, the appearance of cases in Minnesota, Oregon and Utah indicates that it may have reached other states. The FDA is keeping the investigation open to determine the source of the contamination and identify other products that may be at risk, a critical point in this category, where the origin is often the seed used for sprouting.

For TAAG, the growth of the outbreak after the recall illustrates the typical lag between consumption and case confirmation in short shelf-life products: by the time the strain is confirmed in market samples, the product has already been eaten. That is why Salmonella control in sprouts must take place on the seed and the irrigation water of the lot, before dispatch, and not depend on epidemiological surveillance.