Fullei Fresh Alfalfa Sprout E. coli Recall [Updated]

Updated January 17, 2023, Fullei Fresh alfalfa sprouts have been recalled for E. coli. The affected lot number, 336, was shipped to Florida retailers and distributors December 9-23, 2022. Anyone who still has these 8-ounce plastic packages of sprouts should not eat them.

Sprouts produced by Fullei Fresh have been recalled twice before for bacterial contamination, both times for Listeria.

This recall was initially published on the FDA website on January 12, 2023. In it, the company states that it routinely tests its products for Salmonella and E. coli O157:H7, the most commonly identified Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC). Shiga toxins are poisonous to humans and cause severe illness. The E. coli involved in this recall is a non-O157:H7 STEC, but the company said the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) didn’t say which one.

The recall contains some unusual information. It states that the FDA collected 108 environmental swabs, 34 bean sprout swabs, and 34 alfalfa swabs. None of the environmental swabs or bean sprout swabs contained bacteria but bacterial contamination could not be ruled out in the alfalfa sprouts so a hold was placed on them. “Then the firm was told the results were negative and informed customers to resume distribution. Then the FDA issued an apology stating that the results were still pending and again to hold distribution. A few days later, the firm received a report without any explanation or instructions which stated” STEC was found in two of the 34 samples.

The recall posted on the FDA website on January 12 was removed later that day. On January 17, a recall for the same lot of Fullei Fresh alfalfa sprouts was posted on the FDA website but the unusual information was removed.