E. coli outbreak sprouts up around franchise
A multi-state outbreak of E. coli infections have been linked to raw clover sprouts at Jimmy John’s restaurants, but the Conway location has reported that sprouts are currently unavailable.
On Feb. 15, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced the outbreak linked to clover sprouts that were used in sandwiches sold at Jimmy John’s restaurants, one of those reporting from Arkansas. At least 12 people have become ill in Iowa (5), Missouri (3), Kansas (2), Arkansas (1), and Wisconsin (1). Only two of those infected required hospitalization, and no deaths have been reported.
“We are not carrying any sprouts right now,” said Adam Sholes, manager of the Conway Jimmy John’s, located on 317 Oak St. “We have not had any available for the past week, and I am in contact with our company to make sure we know exactly what is going on.”
This is the fourth outbreak of sprout-related illness with the food chain, but it is the first in Arkansas. Jimmy John’s operates six locations in Arkansas, three in central Arkansas and three in northwest Arkansas.
In most sprout outbreaks the restaurant is not to blame for the contamination itself. Contamination usually happens when the seeds are grown or harvested and is often impossible to wash off.
Though they are often touted as a health food, sprouts need warm and humid conditions to grow, encouraging bacterial growth. Many restaurants have stopped serving them after multiple outbreaks, and the government recommends that the very young, elderly, pregnant and others with compromised immune systems stay away from raw sprouts completely.
Fully cooked sprouts are safe to eat.
According to the CDC, there have been at least 30 outbreaks associated with raw or lightly cooked sprouts in the United States in the last 15 years and even more around the world, including a 1996 outbreak in Japan that sickened thousands of people with E. coli.
Comments (6)
Add commentIs it just me...
...or is this one of the worst sandwich shops anywhere?
I've eaten at the one in Conway and the one in Little Rock. On both occassions, the sandwich was so cold that you would thought they made it the day before and left it in the fridge overnight.
That includes my wife's sandwich which had bacon on it. Don't know about anyone else, but chilled bacon isn't anything that I want to eat.
The worst.
In my opinion you hit the nail on the head. They have the worst sandwiches in town.
Their sandwiches are
mostly bread
I 4th that motion!
I had Jimmy John's once and was not impressed at all. The bread was hard. I just don't get it. I'm sticking with McAlister's.
The Dream
Ya'll are crazy. The dream is to marry a girl who works at Jimmy Johns. The perfect wife.
Miss Read Headline
Of course with their headlines lately
Just replace sprouts with squirts and you see what I mean?