Norwegian officials are investigating a national Salmonella outbreak possibly linked to alfalfa sprouts.
The Norwegian Institute of Public Health (FHI) said 23 people from nine regions had fallen ill with Salmonella Newport.
Patients have been reported since mid-October. They range in age from 18 to 79 years, with an average age of 48, and 16 of them are women. Eight people have been hospitalized. Bacteria with a similar genetic profile were detected in all patients, indicating a common source of infection.
Sick people live in Vestland, Trøndelag, Rogaland, Møre og Romsdal, Innlandet, Østfold, Akershus, Telemark and Oslo.
Sprout link
FHI is investigating the incident together with Mattilsynet (the Norwegian Food Safety Authority), the Veterinary Institute and local authorities.
“Several of the infected people in the outbreak reported eating Brussels sprouts. Earlier this year, FHI also saw an increase in cases of Salmonella infection with sprouts believed to be the cause of the disease. That is why we have extensively examined the sprouts in collaboration with Mattilsynet,” says Umaer Naseer of FHI.
Consumers are advised to throw away sprouts purchased in recent weeks. This also applies to products where alfalfa sprouts are an ingredient, such as sandwiches, baguettes, salads and wraps.
The suspicion is based on patient interviews, epidemiological data, patient purchasing information and product distribution patterns.
Mattilsynet takes samples from food, packaging and production environments. The Veterinary Institute will examine these for Salmonella and see whether any positive points can be linked to the outbreak.
Norske Spirer has recalled products containing organic alfalfa sprouts from the market. This applies to all packaging and dates currently on sale and in the supply chain. Best before dates range from November 27 to December 11, 2024.
Items are sold in a number of supermarkets across the country, such as Rema 1000, Coop, Kiwi, Meny, Bunnpris, Joker and Spar.
Norway recorded 757 cases of Salmonella in 2023, of which 37 percent were infected in the country and 63 percent abroad. Three Salmonella outbreaks affected 14 people.
Swedish update
Meanwhile, a recall has taken place in Sweden as authorities continue to investigate another Salmonella outbreak also linked to Brussels sprouts.
Folkhälsomyndigheten (the Swedish Public Health Agency) said 92 people from 18 regions have been infected with one of 12 genetically closely related Salmonella Typhimurium sequence type (ST) 36 variants.
Authorities have linked illness to the consumption of alfalfa sprouts sprouted from a particular batch of seed. SydGrönt and Munkagrodden made a recall and stopped germinating the seed batch. Products have a shelf life of November 24 to December 3.
“We carry out careful quality controls and pasteurize the seeds before germination. We are taking the incident seriously and are now investigating it together with the authorities,” said Eva Bendroth from Munkagrodden.
Sampling, analysis and tracking are underway, with help from the Swedish Food Agency (Livsmedelsverket) and other agencies.
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