Three Whatcom County residents have become ill as part of a Salmonella Bovismorbificans outbreak linked to broccoli sprouts produced by Evergreen Fresh Sprouts, LLC, an Idaho-based company, according to a September 3 announcement from Whatcom County Health and Community Services. The outbreak has sickened 13 people statewide and health officials are urging anyone who purchased or received the sprouts to throw them away immediately.
The affected sprouts were sold at grocery stores and served at restaurants in Whatcom County, but county health officials do not have a confirmed list of every location where the products were available. That uncertainty means residents who have purchased fresh broccoli sprouts recently should check the brand and discard them if they came from Evergreen Fresh Sprouts, regardless of whether the specific store is on a confirmed list. When in doubt, officials advise throwing out any fresh broccoli sprouts purchased in the region during the relevant period and not attempting to wash or cook them as a safety measure, since cross-contamination in home kitchens can extend the risk.
What the Investigation Has Found So Far
As of September 2, 2026, health officials had recorded illness onset dates ranging from July 7 to August 18, a span of more than six weeks suggesting the contaminated product was in circulation for an extended period before the outbreak was identified. That length of time is notable because it indicates the contamination was likely present at the production or distribution level rather than being a single-point retail contamination event. Of the 12 Washington patients who had been interviewed, eight reported eating sprouts from Evergreen Fresh Sprouts. Seven of those eight specifically ate broccoli sprouts; the exact variety consumed by the eighth person is unknown.
The outbreak extends beyond Washington State. Three additional people have been infected with the same strain of Salmonella Bovismorbificans: two from Montana and one from Idaho, bringing the confirmed multi-state total to 16 cases linked to the same source. The geographic spread across three states is consistent with a distributed supply chain in which a single production facility ships to retailers and food service operators across a broad region. Sprout samples from Evergreen Fresh Sprouts and other suppliers are currently undergoing testing at the Washington State Public Health Laboratory to confirm contamination and rule out other sources. Laboratory confirmation through whole-genome sequencing allows public health investigators to determine whether cases in different states share a common bacterial strain, which is how multi-state outbreaks are linked to a single producer.
Health officials were careful to clarify that this outbreak is unrelated to a separate multi-state Salmonella and E. coli outbreak traced to alfalfa sprouts produced by Everything Sprouts, LLC in Minnesota. The two outbreaks involve different pathogens, different producers, and different sprouted products, though both serve as reminders of the elevated food safety risks associated with raw sprouts generally. The coincidence of two separate sprout-related outbreaks occurring in close proximity underscores why food safety regulators have long flagged sprouts as one of the higher-risk fresh produce categories in the food supply.
What Salmonella Bovismorbificans Does and Who Is at Risk
Salmonella Bovismorbificans is a Salmonella serotype capable of causing the standard range of salmonellosis symptoms, including diarrhea, fever, and abdominal cramps, typically appearing six hours to six days after consuming contaminated food. The name refers to the organism's original isolation from cattle, though the serotype infects humans through contaminated food just as other Salmonella serotypes do. Most healthy adults recover without medical treatment within four to seven days, typically managing symptoms through rest and fluid replacement to avoid dehydration. However, the infection can be more severe in young children, older adults, pregnant individuals, and people with weakened immune systems, potentially requiring hospitalization and antibiotic treatment in cases where the bacteria enter the bloodstream.
Raw sprouts, including broccoli, alfalfa, bean, and clover varieties, carry an elevated risk of bacterial contamination compared to other produce because the warm, humid conditions needed for sprouting are also ideal for bacterial growth. Seeds used for sprouting can harbor pathogens on their surfaces or interiors, and those bacteria multiply rapidly during the sprouting process, which typically takes several days in conditions of sustained warmth and moisture. No amount of washing after harvest reliably eliminates contamination once it has taken hold in a sprout batch, which is why the safety guidance for people at higher risk is categorical rather than conditional. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration advises that people at higher risk of serious illness consider avoiding raw sprouts entirely, while others who choose to eat sprouts should purchase them refrigerated and store them cold at home, reducing but not eliminating bacterial growth between purchase and consumption.
For people who have consumed Evergreen Fresh Sprouts broccoli sprouts within the past several weeks and are now experiencing gastrointestinal symptoms, the clinical picture of salmonellosis typically includes sudden onset of diarrhea, which may be bloody, accompanied by fever above 100 degrees Fahrenheit and cramping. Symptoms that last more than a week, worsen after initial improvement, or are accompanied by signs of dehydration such as significantly reduced urination, dry mouth, or dizziness warrant medical evaluation. Anyone who develops high fever, severe abdominal pain, or symptoms of systemic illness should seek care promptly, as these can indicate the infection has spread beyond the gastrointestinal tract.
What to Do If You Were Exposed
Whatcom County Health and Community Services is asking anyone who believes they were sickened after eating broccoli sprouts to contact the department at 360-778-6000 or to submit a report through the Foodborne Illness Notification System (FINS) online form. Reporting is important not just for individual follow-up but for the investigation itself; each additional patient interview can help investigators identify where the sprouts were purchased, which retailers or restaurants are part of the distribution chain, and whether the outbreak has spread to locations not yet identified. Residents who have already tested positive for Salmonella infection should call the county's nurse on duty directly at 360-778-6089 to report their case and receive guidance on treatment and isolation precautions.
The Washington State Department of Health's Foodborne Illness Outbreaks page is being updated as new information becomes available and is the authoritative source for residents wanting the latest case counts and guidance. The state health department's investigation is ongoing and additional locations where the sprouts were sold may be identified as more patients are interviewed. Residents who have sprouts at home that may be from Evergreen Fresh Sprouts should discard them in a sealed bag in the trash and wash any surfaces, cutting boards, or containers that came into contact with the product. For the latest local updates on public health issues in Whatcom County, details on other recent health advisories are available through prior coverage of county health alerts.
