Wonton Foods Bean Sprout Food Poisoning Outbreak

An outbreak of food poisoning linked to bean sprouts from Wonton Foods, Inc., has infected at least 111 people in 12 states with Salmonella.

What You Can Do & How a Food Poisoning Lawsuit Can Help

The Schmidt Firm, PLLC is currently accepting food poisoning induced injury cases in all 50 states. If you or somebody you know was diagnosed with Salmonella after eating bean sprouts, you should contact our lawyers immediately for a free case consultation. Please use the form below to contact our Food Poisoning Litigation Group or call us toll-free 24 hours a day at (866) 920-0753.

UPDATE: 111 People in 12 States Sickened in Bean Sprout Salmonella Outbreak

December 17, 2014 — An outbreak of food poisoning traced to raw bean sprouts from Wonton Foods, Inc., has sickened 111 people in 12 states, according to an update from the CDC. Click here to read more.

December 5, 2014 — An outbreak of food poisoning linked to mung bean sprouts from Wonton Foods has sickened 87 people in 11 states, according to an update from the CDC. Click here to read more.

Outbreak Information

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has reported a multi-state outbreak of Salmonella Enteritidis.

In interviews, 33 out of 42 infected people (79%) said they ate bean sprouts or food that contained bean sprouts in the week before getting sick, mostly from Asian-style food service establishments.

As of November 24, 2014, a total of 68 illnesses have been linked to the outbreak. About 26% of infected people were hospitalized, but fortunately no deaths were reported.

The 10 states where illnesses were reported include: Connecticut (4), Maine (3), Massachusetts (31), New Hampshire (4), New York (5), Ohio (1), Pennsylvania (10), Rhode Island (6), and Vermont (3). One case was also reported in Montana, but that person traveled from the Eastern United States.

Outbreak Traced to Wonton Foods

The outbreak has been traced to Wonton Foods, Inc., of Brooklyn, New York. The company has not issued any recalls. As of November 21, they have agreed to stop production and distribution of bean sprouts until they take steps to prevent future Salmonella contamination.

Wonton Foods was the only supplier of bean sprouts in at least 2 restaurants implicated in the outbreak. They were the only supplier in common with all of the restaurants. Some restaurants also used bean sprouts from other suppliers.

Bean Sprouts

Since 1996, at least 30 outbreaks of food poisoning have been traced to bean sprouts — including at least 10 E. coli infections linked to raw bean sprouts in May 2014. The problem is that the warm, moist conditions that beans need to sprout is also ideal for bacterial growth. Thoroughly cooking bean sprouts can kill the bacteria, but many people consume raw bean sprouts.

Salmonella Enteritidis

Salmonella Enteritidis is a common type of Salmonella that can cause food poisoning. Symptoms typically begin 12-72 hours after eating contaminated food or beverages, and persist for 4-7 days.

Most healthy adults recover without needing antibiotics, but in severe cases, the infection can spread to the bloodstream. Diarrhea and vomiting can also cause life-threatening dehydration.

Symptoms of Salmonella infection:

• Nausea, vomiting
• Abdominal cramps
• Diarrhea
• Fever
• Chills
• Headache

Do I have a Food Poisoning Lawsuit?

The Schmidt Firm, PLLC is currently accepting food poisoning induced injury cases in all 50 states. If you or somebody you know was diagnosed with Salmonella after eating bean sprouts, you should contact our lawyers immediately for a free case consultation. Please use the form below to contact our Food Poisoning Litigation Group or call us toll-free 24 hours a day at (866) 920-0753.

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