As of October 6, 2026, EAK Distribution LLC of Casper, Wyoming has recalled one lot of HOME GROWN Green Sprouting Calabrese Broccoli Seeds, 8-ounce heirloom packets sold on Amazon.com to home sprouters nationwide between August 20 and September 18, 2026, because FDA found Salmonella in a sample of the seed. The notice, posted by FDA on October 2, says the same seed lot was used by a commercial sprout grower whose sprouts are part of an FDA multistate outbreak investigation. No illnesses have been reported from the home packets.
The recalled packet is lot AUG172026, UPC 850056627443.
The lot code is embossed on the top seal of the packet. The supplier’s bulk lot number is W4105. The seed was sold only through Amazon, only in the 8-ounce size, and only between August 20 and September 18. EAK says it halted sales on September 17, the day after its supplier first warned it, and that on September 28 the supplier reported that Salmonella had been detected in the broccoli seed sample FDA collected and analyzed. Consumers are told not to use the seed, to dispose of it, and to contact Amazon for a refund. The company can be reached at 541-306-4278, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Pacific.
The notice does not name the supplier or the sprout grower, and only one broccoli sprout outbreak is open.
EAK’s notice names neither the seed company that sold it lot W4105 nor the grower whose sprouts put the lot under investigation. FDA’s outbreak table lists one open Salmonella investigation tied to broccoli sprouts: the Salmonella Bovismorbificans outbreak linked to Evergreen Fresh Sprouts of Moyie Springs, Idaho. As of CDC’s September 24 update that outbreak had made 32 people sick in six states, 24 of them in Washington, with three hospitalized and no deaths. Washington’s health department counts cases in nine counties. FDA’s advisory on that outbreak, last updated September 24, does not mention seed at all, and neither agency has said on its own pages that the seed lot in the EAK recall is the Evergreen lot. The timeline fits, and I drew the line between them in my October 5 Marler Blog post and at Food Poison Journal on October 2, but the agencies have not written it down.
| Date | What happened | Source |
| July 7, 2026 | First illness onset in the broccoli sprout outbreak | CDC |
| Sept 4 | Evergreen Fresh Sprouts recalls broccoli sprouts after a Montana sample tests positive | FDA recall notice |
| Sept 9 | FDA and CDC announce the outbreak: 22 sick in four states | CDC, FDA |
| Sept 16 | Seed supplier warns EAK its broccoli seed lot was used by a grower in the investigation | EAK notice |
| Sept 17 | EAK stops selling the seed on Amazon | EAK notice |
| Sept 24 | CDC update: 32 sick in six states, 3 hospitalized | CDC |
| Sept 28 | Supplier tells EAK that FDA detected Salmonella in the seed sample | EAK notice |
| Oct 2 | FDA posts the EAK recall | FDA recall notice |
Table 1. Timeline of the broccoli sprout outbreak and the seed recall. Sources: CDC and FDA outbreak pages and the two FDA recall notices, as linked, read October 6, 2026. Check: eight dated events, July 7 through October 2, in order.
Seed is where sprout outbreaks start, and home sprouting does not make it safer.
Sprouts cause outbreaks because the seed can carry Salmonella or E. coli from the field, and sprouting it in warm, wet conditions for several days lets a few bacteria become millions. A home jar does the same thing a commercial drum does. Rinsing does not remove bacteria that are inside the seed coat, and the seed treatments commercial growers use are not reliable either. FDA has told people at higher risk to avoid raw sprouts since 1998. Evergreen’s earlier recall of its commercial broccoli sprouts is covered on this blog in posts from September 11 and September 11.
Salmonella symptoms start within six hours to six days, and some people need a hospital.
Salmonella infection usually begins six hours to six days after eating contaminated food, with diarrhea, fever and stomach cramps that last four to seven days. Most people recover without treatment. See a doctor if diarrhea lasts more than three days without improving, if there is blood in the stool, if a fever runs above 102 degrees, or if someone cannot keep liquids down or shows signs of dehydration such as dizziness and very little urine. Children under five, adults over 65, pregnant women and people with weakened immune systems are the most likely to be hospitalized, and in some people the bacteria spread to the blood. A stool test is what confirms the infection and is how a case gets counted in an outbreak, so ask for one and mention that you sprouted seed at home.
What to do if you bought HOME GROWN broccoli seed on Amazon.
Find the lot code on the top seal. If it reads AUG172026, do not sprout the seed, do not eat sprouts already growing from it, and throw both away in a sealed bag. Wash the jar, lid, trays and anything else the seed or sprouts touched with hot soapy water and then sanitize them. Contact Amazon for a refund. If you sprouted this seed and ate the sprouts in the past week and now have diarrhea or fever, see a doctor and ask for a stool test. If the packet carries a different lot code it is not part of this recall, but raw sprouts of any kind remain a risk for young children, older adults, pregnant women and anyone with a weakened immune system; cooking sprouts thoroughly kills the bacteria.
Which broccoli sprouting seeds are recalled for Salmonella?
HOME GROWN Green Sprouting Calabrese Broccoli Seeds, 8-ounce heirloom packets, UPC 850056627443, lot AUG172026, sold by EAK Distribution LLC on Amazon.com between August 20 and September 18, 2026. No other lot or size is recalled.
Is the broccoli seed recall connected to the Evergreen Fresh Sprouts outbreak?
The recall notice says the seed lot was used by a sprout grower in an FDA multistate outbreak investigation but does not name the grower. The only broccoli sprout Salmonella outbreak FDA and CDC are investigating is the one linked to Evergreen Fresh Sprouts, with 32 sick in six states as of September 24, 2026. Neither agency has confirmed the link on its own pages.
Can I get Salmonella from sprouting seeds at home?
Yes. Salmonella can live inside the seed, and sprouting it at home in a warm, wet jar grows the bacteria the same way a commercial operation does. Rinsing does not remove it. People at higher risk should not eat raw sprouts from any source, and anyone can reduce the risk by cooking sprouts.
Salmonella
Salmonella is a group of bacteria behind one of the most common, and most deadly, foodborne infections in the United States, and it is the leading cause of foodborne hospitalizations and deaths in the country. Symptoms usually appear 6 hours to 6 days after eating contaminated food and include diarrhea, fever and stomach cramps lasting four to seven days. Some people go on to develop reactive arthritis or irritable bowel syndrome that lasts long after the infection is over.
Marler Clark, The Food Safety Law Firm, is the nation’s leading law firm representing victims of Salmonellaoutbreaks. The Salmonella attorneys of Marler Clark have represented thousands of victims of Salmonella and other foodborne illness outbreaks and have recovered over $850 million for clients. Marler Clark is the only law firm in the nation with a practice focused exclusively on foodborne illness litigation. Our Salmonellalawyers have litigated Salmonella cases stemming from outbreaks traced to poultry, eggs, ground beef, produce, peanut butter, flour and pet food, against defendants that include some of the largest food companies in the country. The firm represented victims of the Peanut Corporation of America outbreak, whose owner was criminally convicted and sentenced to twenty-eight years in prison, and it continues to press USDA to declare Salmonella an adulterant in raw chicken.
If you or a family member became ill with a Salmonella infection, including reactive arthritis or irritable bowel syndrome, after consuming food and you are interested in pursuing a legal claim, contact the Marler Clark Salmonella attorneys for a free case evaluation at 1-800-884-9840.
FAQ
What is Salmonella? Salmonella is a group of bacteria that live in the intestines of animals and people and spread to food through contaminated water, animal products and food handlers. Infection is called salmonellosis.
What foods cause Salmonella outbreaks? Poultry, eggs, ground beef, produce such as sprouts, melons, tomatoes and peppers, peanut butter, flour, spices and even pet food have all caused outbreaks.
Can Salmonella cause long-term problems? Yes. Some people develop reactive arthritis, with joint pain that lasts months or years, or irritable bowel syndrome. In severe cases the bacteria spread to the bloodstream, bones, joints or brain.
Who is most at risk? Children under five, adults over 65, pregnant women and people with weakened immune systems are the most likely to be hospitalized.
Can I sue if I got sick from Salmonella? Yes. If your infection is confirmed by a stool culture and linked to a contaminated product or a recognized outbreak, you may have a claim against the businesses that made, served or sold the food. Marler Clark offers a free case evaluation.
Additional Resources
Recent Comments