Update to post below: There are now 25 confirmed cases of E. coli O26 linked to Jimmy Johns sprouts:
Alabama (1), Iowa (5), Missouri (3), Kansas (2), Michigan (9), Arkansas (1), Ohio (3), and Wisconsin (1).
Jimmy John’s E. coli Outbreak Highlights
- 14 people infected with the outbreak strain of E. coli O26 are confirmed as part of this outbreak linked to eating sprouts at Jimmy John’s restaurants. There are also at least 5 suspected cases.
- The number of ill persons identified in each state is as follows: Iowa (5), Missouri (3), Kansas (2), Michigan (2 confirmed, 5 suspected), Arkansas (1), and Wisconsin (1).
- Two people have been hospitalized.
- Epidemiologic and traceback investigations indicate eating raw clover sprouts at Jimmy John’s restaurants is the likely cause of this outbreak.
- Traceback information on sprouts has identified a common lot of clover seeds used to grow clover sprouts served at Jimmy John’s restaurant locations where ill persons ate.
- Among persons for whom information is available, illness onset dates range from December 25, 2011 to January 15, 2012.
- Ill persons range in age from 9 years to 49 years old, with a median age of 25 years old.
- One hundred percent of ill persons are female. [/box]
Attorney Fred Pritzker and his food safety litigation team are investigating this E. coli O26 outbreak linked to sprouts on Jimmy John’s sub sandwiches. Fred has successfully represented people sickened by sprouts in past outbreaks linked to other restaurants.
“It amazes me that restaurants still serve raw sprouts,” stated Pritzker. “We recently settled some cases from a Salmonella outbreak linked to sprouts, and now E. coli on sprouts has caused another outbreak. I am speaking tomorrow night at Harvard Law School about the dangers of raw milk, but raw sprouts are possible the highest risk food in the United States.”
You can contact Attorney Fred Pritzker to request a free consultation HERE. Learn about E. coli food poisoning.
Jimmy John’s E. coli Outbreak Investigation
Epidemiologic and traceback investigations conducted by officials in local, state, and federal public health, agriculture, and regulatory agencies have linked this outbreak to eating raw clover sprouts.
- Epidemiologic Evidence: Among the 11 ill persons with information available, 10 (91%) reported eating at a Jimmy John’s sandwich restaurant in the 7 days preceding illness. Ill persons reported eating at 9 different locations of Jimmy John’s restaurants in 4 states in the week before becoming ill. One location was identified where more than one ill person reported eating in the week before becoming ill. Among the 10 ill persons who reported eating at a Jimmy John’s restaurant location, 8 (80%) reported eating a sandwich containing sprouts, and 9 (90%) reported eating a sandwich containing lettuce.
- Traceback Investigation: Preliminary traceback information has identified a common lot of clover seeds used to grow clover sprouts served at Jimmy John’s restaurant locations where ill persons ate. FDA and states conducted a traceback that identified two separate sprouting facilities; both used the same lot of seed to grow clover sprouts served at these Jimmy John’s restaurant locations. On February 10, 2012, the seed supplier initiated notification of sprouting facilities that received this lot of clover seed to stop using it. Investigations are ongoing to identify other locations that may have sold clover sprouts grown from this seed lot.
An analysis of the preliminary results of the epidemiologic and traceback investigations indicate eating raw clover sprouts at Jimmy John’s restaurants is the likely cause of this outbreak. Given the facts of this outbreak, it is extremely likely that many, many more people were sickened by the sprouts.
Attorney Fred Pritzker represents E. coli victims throughout the United States. Contact him for free E. coli lawsuit information.