A Salmonella outbreak linked to broccoli sprouts from an Idaho grower has sickened 22 people in Idaho, Montana, Utah and Washington, and laboratory testing has matched a package of the sprouts to the illnesses. The CDC and the FDA announced the multistate investigation on September 9. Two people have been hospitalized, and no deaths have been reported.
Households now have a recall to act on. Evergreen Fresh Sprouts, LLC of Moyie Springs, Idaho, began recalling its broccoli sprouts on September 4 after a sample collected and analyzed by Montana officials tested positive for Salmonella, Food Safety News reported. The recalled sprouts were sold in plastic bags or clamshell containers with expiration dates of 9/7, 9/9, 9/11, 9/14 and 9/16. They went to grocery stores, food co-ops, restaurants, and food service customers in Idaho, Montana, and Washington, and the CDC says the product may have reached other states.
Most people with Salmonella recover without antibiotics. Children younger than 5, adults 65 and older, and people with weakened immune systems are more likely to develop severe illness that requires medical treatment or hospitalization.
From No Recall to a Federal Investigation
MedicalDaily previously reported that Washington and Montana were investigating 16 illnesses across three Northwestern states with no recall. At that point, Washington's count ran through September 2 and included 13 Washington residents, plus two people in Montana and one in Idaho.
Three things have changed since then. The count rose from 16 to 22, Utah became the fourth state, and investigators now have direct laboratory evidence. According to the CDC investigation update, Montana officials collected an unopened package of broccoli sprouts from a sick person's home, and whole genome sequencing showed it carried the same Salmonella Bovismorbificans strain that made people sick.
Interview data point the same way. Of 19 people interviewed, all 19 reported eating sprouts, and 17, or 89 percent, specifically ate broccoli sprouts. By comparison, 8.7 percent of respondents in a CDC population survey reported eating any type of sprouts, a gap the agency says suggests broccoli sprouts made people sick. Traceback work by the FDA and state officials identified Evergreen's broccoli sprouts as a source of the illnesses.
Who Has Been Sickened So Far
Patients range in age from 2 to 87, with a median age of 48, and their illnesses began between July 7 and August 26. The CDC outbreak notice lists 22 cases, two hospitalizations, and no deaths.
Washington accounts for most of the illnesses. The Washington State Department of Health reported on September 9 that 16 of the 22 cases were Washington residents, including both people who were hospitalized. Cases have come from Island, King, Skagit, Snohomish, Spokane, Walla Walla, Whatcom and Yakima counties, with four in King County, home to Seattle, and three each in Spokane and Whatcom counties. The Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services reported two Montana cases as of September 3 and said it expected its count to rise as testing continued.
The CDC says the true number of sick people is "likely much higher than the number reported." Many people recover without medical care and are never tested, and it usually takes three to four weeks to determine whether a new illness is part of an outbreak. People who became sick in late August or September may not yet be counted.
This is not the first outbreak linked to the grower. Food Safety News previously reported that Evergreen Fresh Sprouts was behind a 2011 Salmonella Enteritidis outbreak that sickened 25 people in five states and a 2014 E. coli O121 outbreak that sickened 19 people in six states. The CDC says the current outbreak does not appear to be related to the recent multistate Salmonella and E. coli outbreaks traced to alfalfa sprouts from a different producer, which Washington health officials identified as a Minnesota company.
Checking Refrigerators, Restaurant Orders and Symptoms
The CDC advises people not to eat recalled broccoli sprouts and to throw them away or return them to the store. Containers, cutting boards and counters that touched the sprouts should be washed with hot, soapy water or run through a dishwasher. Restaurants and retailers should not sell or serve the recalled product and should wash and sanitize surfaces it touched.
Sprouts are often added to sandwiches, salads, and bowls, where diners rarely see a brand or label. For anyone who ate out recently in the affected states, knowing the symptoms is the practical safeguard. Salmonella usually causes diarrhea, fever, and stomach cramps. According to the CDC, symptoms usually begin 6 hours to 6 days after infection and last 4 to 7 days.
Call a health care provider right away for diarrhea with a fever higher than 102 degrees Fahrenheit, diarrhea lasting more than two days that is not improving, bloody diarrhea, vomiting so severe that liquids cannot be kept down, or signs of dehydration such as urinating very little, a dry mouth and throat, or dizziness when standing up.
Parents of young children, caregivers of older adults, and people with weakened immune systems should pay the closest attention, because those groups are more likely to need medical care. Suspected foodborne illnesses can be reported to a local or state health department.
The Evergreen Sprout Investigation Timeline
The FDA says its investigation is ongoing to determine the source of contamination and whether other products are affected. Updated counts are expected as states finish interviews and laboratory work.
September 9, 2026: The CDC and FDA announce a multistate investigation with 22 cases in four states and a genetic match from an unopened package.
September 4, 2026: Evergreen Fresh Sprouts begins a recall after a sample collected by Montana officials tests positive for Salmonella.
September 2 and 3, 2026: Washington and Montana report 16 illnesses in three states, with no recall in place.
The recall gives households one clear step: throw out or return any recalled broccoli sprouts. The case count is likely to grow, and the source of the contamination has not been identified. MedicalDaily will report any recall expansion, new states, or changes in hospitalizations.
Key Questions Answered
Which sprouts have been recalled?
Broccoli sprouts grown by Evergreen Fresh Sprouts, LLC of Moyie Springs, Idaho, sold in plastic bags or clamshell containers with expiration dates of 9/7, 9/9, 9/11, 9/14 and 9/16. They went to grocery stores, food co-ops, restaurants, and food service customers in Idaho, Montana, and Washington.
Where have people become sick?
Cases have been reported in Idaho, Montana, Utah and Washington. Washington has reported the most, with 16 of the 22 cases as of September 9, including four in King County.
How many people are sick, and has anyone died?
As of the CDC's September 9 update, 22 people are sick and two have been hospitalized. No deaths have been reported, and officials say the true number of illnesses is likely higher.
I live outside those four states. Should I check my refrigerator?
A quick check is reasonable. The recalled sprouts were distributed in Idaho, Montana and Washington, but the CDC says the product may have reached additional states.
What symptoms should I watch for?
Diarrhea, fever and stomach cramps are the most common. Symptoms usually begin 6 hours to 6 days after infection and last 4 to 7 days.
When should someone see a doctor?
Call a provider right away for bloody diarrhea, diarrhea with a fever above 102 degrees Fahrenheit, diarrhea lasting more than two days without improvement, vomiting that prevents keeping liquids down or signs of dehydration. Young children, adults 65 and older and people with weakened immune systems face a higher risk of severe illness.
Is this connected to the alfalfa sprout outbreaks?
No. The CDC says this broccoli sprout outbreak does not appear to be related to the recent multistate outbreaks traced to alfalfa sprouts from a different producer.
