A Minneapolis sprout producer has widened its recall of alfalfa-based products as a multistate E. coli and salmonella outbreak grows — and federal officials say the seed supplier believed to be the source of the contamination is refusing to cooperate.

Everything Sprouts LLC has expanded its recall to include Crunchy Protein Sprout Mix, Zesty Garlic Mix and Robust Radish Sprout Mix, sold in 5-ounce cups under the Calco and Everything Sprouts labels with lot numbers 223, 226, 230 and 233. The outbreak has sickened 55 people across 15 states — Florida, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Washington and Wisconsin — with 46 E. coli infections, seven salmonella infections and two people infected with both. Four people have been hospitalized; no deaths have been reported.

Investigators traced the contamination to alfalfa seed distributed by a common supplier to multiple growers, according to the FDA's recall notice. But that supplier — not publicly named by regulators — has not responded to the FDA's request for a voluntary recall and has not notified its own downstream customers that its seed may be contaminated, according to Food Safety News.

A gap in the recall system

The standoff highlights a longstanding weak point in the U.S. food-safety net: the FDA can request a recall, but for firms outside a narrow category of high-risk products, it generally cannot compel one without a lengthier legal process. That leaves potentially contaminated seed lots still able to reach other sprout growers who may have no idea their raw material is implicated, even as Everything Sprouts pulls its own finished products from shelves.

THE SEED SUPPLIER HAS NOT RESPONDED TO THE FDA'S RECALL RECOMMENDATION

Sprouts are a recurring source of foodborne illness because they're grown in warm, humid conditions ideal for bacterial growth, and because they're typically eaten raw with no cooking step to kill contamination. The FDA has for years urged children, the elderly, pregnant women and people with weakened immune systems to avoid raw sprouts altogether.

Consumers who bought the recalled products are advised to throw them away or return them for a refund rather than attempt to rinse or cook them, since surface washing does not reliably remove E. coli or salmonella from sprouts. Symptoms of E. coli infection typically include severe stomach cramps, diarrhea (often bloody) and vomiting, usually appearing three to four days after exposure.

The FDA says its investigation into the seed supplier remains active, and additional recalls tied to the same seed lots are possible if other growers are identified.