Nature's Bin Selling Local Company's Sprouts Again
Cleveland Beansprouts' alfalfa sprouts cleared after contamination check.
Nature’s Bin has begun restocking a local Cleveland company’s alfalfa sprouts after its crop was deemed clean from a contaminant by the Ohio Department of Agriculture earlier this week.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced last Friday that the ODA had found listeria in a limited supply of Cleveland Beansprouts, Inc.’s sprouts during testing.
The FDA announced a recall of Cleveland Beansprouts sprouts, but further ODA tests proved negative, according to Erica Pitchford, a public information officer of the ODA.
Nature’s Bin assistant produce manager Kate Link said the store pulled the sprouts from its shelves immediately after the alert was released.
Link said Nature’s Bin restocked the sprouts Monday after the government’s approval, and the FDA is requiring stores to put lot numbers on the sprouts in order to keep track of them.
Marc’s pulled all distributors’ alfalfa sprouts from its shelves as a precautionary measure, according to the company’s corporate office. As of Wednesday, Marc’s Lakewood store hasn’t been selling alfalfa sprouts from any distributor, Chris Bryant, the store’s produce manager, said.
Giant Eagle, which has a store in Lakewood, said it does not carry Cleveland Beansprouts alfalfa sprouts, according to the corporate office in Richmond Heights.
Listeria monocytogenes can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections to individuals with weakened immune systems. The FDA said no illnesses have been reported.