Outbreak Investigation of E. coli O103: Clover Sprouts (February 2020)
FDA, along with CDC and state and local partners, are investigating an outbreak of 14 illnesses caused by E. coli O103 in Iowa, Illinois, Missouri, Texas and Utah. CDC is reporting that the epidemiologic evidence indicates that clover sprouts from Jimmy John’s restaurants are a likely source of this outbreak.
The CDC is recommending that consumers who have recently eaten clover sprouts on a sandwich from Jimmy John’s restaurants and who are experiencing symptoms of E. coli infection, such as severe stomach cramps, diarrhea, fever, nausea, and/or vomiting, should contact their doctor and report their illness to their local health department. If consumers have a leftover sandwich with clover sprouts from Jimmy John’s, do not eat it and throw it away.
Generally, it is recommended that children, the elderly, pregnant women, and persons with weakened immune systems should avoid eating raw sprouts of any kind.
Jimmy John’s LLC reported that all of its restaurants stopped serving clover sprouts on February 24, 2020. At this time, clover sprouts should not be available at Jimmy John's.
FDA has activated a team to coordinate this outbreak investigation. This team is currently collecting records and initiating a traceback investigation to determine the source of the clover sprouts. Authorities are investigating whether implicated sprouts have been distributed elsewhere and will continue monitoring for additional illnesses.
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