Berlin Seeds has recalled 950 pounds of alfalfa sprouting seed after supplier traceback linked the seed to sprouts involved in FDA’s ongoing multistate STEC and Salmonella outbreak investigation. The recalled seed was sold in five package sizes from February 13 through August 23, 2026, through Berlin Seeds’ Millersburg, Ohio store and website to customers in 44 states.
How to check the Berlin Seeds alfalfa recall
The Berlin Seeds alfalfa recall covers alfalfa sprouting seed sold in 1/4-pound, 1/2-pound, 1-pound, 5-pound and 50-pound packages. The 5-pound and 50-pound packages carry lot code SAL2-24JB. The three smaller package sizes do not have a lot code, so the absence of SAL2-24JB on a small bag does not by itself mean the product is outside the recall.
Which Berlin Seeds packages are affected?
| Package size | Lot-code information | Reader action |
|---|---|---|
| 1/4 lb | No lot code | Use the Berlin Seeds brand, product type and sale-period information to identify affected seed |
| 1/2 lb | No lot code | Do not assume the package is unaffected because no lot number appears |
| 1 lb | No lot code | Stop using recalled product within the identified recall scope |
| 5 lb | SAL2-24JB | Stop using the seed if the recalled lot is present |
| 50 lb | SAL2-24JB | Stop using the seed if the recalled lot is present |
FDA’s posted recall says the affected Berlin Seeds seed was sold from February 13 through August 23, 2026. Because smaller packages lack a lot code, readers should use the full combination of brand, product, package size and sale period rather than relying on a lot number alone.
Why was Berlin Seeds alfalfa seed recalled?
Berlin Seeds says its seed supplier notified the company that the alfalfa seed had been identified through traceback as seed used by a sprout grower whose finished sprouts were involved in the ongoing multistate foodborne-illness investigation.
The supplier also reported that a spent-irrigation-water sample associated with one of its alfalfa seed lots tested positive for E. coli. FDA’s recall notice therefore describes the Berlin Seeds product as potentially contaminated with Shiga toxin-producing E. coli, or STEC, and/or Salmonella.
This does not establish that every recalled Berlin Seeds package has been laboratory-confirmed contaminated. The recall is a protective action based on the traceback and contamination evidence available to the company and FDA.
How does the recall connect to the wider outbreak?
FDA’s broader alfalfa-sprout investigation involves multiple STEC strains and Salmonella Agona. The surfaced FDA outbreak count is 55 illnesses across 15 states, four hospitalizations and no deaths.
That number is the count for the wider outbreak investigation. It should not be described as 55 illnesses caused by Berlin Seeds products. Berlin Seeds’ recall announcement reports one illness directly connected to the recalled seed.
The distinction matters because the outbreak investigation covers a larger supply chain, including sprout growers and an implicated seed source. Berlin Seeds is one downstream seller now recalling consumer-facing seed identified through that traceback.
What should you do with recalled Berlin Seeds seed?
Stop using the seed
Do not continue using recalled Berlin Seeds alfalfa sprouting seed.
Do not sprout or plant it
The recall notice says affected seed should not be sprouted or planted. Planting is not a safe alternative disposal route.
Do not give it away
Do not transfer recalled seed to another person, grower or household.
Discard sprouts already grown
Do not eat sprouts grown from affected seed. Throw them away.
Dispose of the recalled seed
The posted recall instructs consumers to place the seed in a sealed bag and dispose of it in the trash.
Clean contacted equipment
Carefully clean and sanitize sprouting jars, trays, sprouters, containers and surfaces that may have contacted the seed or sprouts.
What if your Berlin Seeds bag has no lot code?
A missing lot code is expected on the recalled 1/4-pound, 1/2-pound and 1-pound packages. Consumers should therefore not use the absence of SAL2-24JB as proof that a smaller Berlin Seeds alfalfa-seed package is unaffected.
The 5-pound and 50-pound packages are the sizes on which FDA’s posted recall identifies lot SAL2-24JB.
Where was the recalled seed sold?
Berlin Seeds sold the affected alfalfa sprouting seed through its retail store in Millersburg, Ohio, and through its website to customers in 44 states. The broad direct-to-consumer distribution means affected seed may still be stored in homes, small growing operations or business inventory even though the sale period ended in August.
What if someone ate sprouts grown from the recalled seed?
FDA’s posted recall says people who consumed recalled product and are concerned about illness should contact a health care provider. ThePulseSignal does not diagnose foodborne illness, and symptoms or medical risk should be assessed using current clinical guidance.
Is this the Evergreen Fresh Sprouts broccoli recall?
No. FDA is separately investigating a September Salmonella outbreak involving broccoli sprouts. The Berlin Seeds recall belongs to the different STEC and Salmonella alfalfa-sprout investigation.
Keeping those events separate prevents readers from mixing different products, pathogens, outbreak counts and recall actions.
Berlin Seeds alfalfa recall: current evidence state
| Question | Current answer |
|---|---|
| How much seed was recalled? | 950 pounds |
| Which package sizes are included? | 1/4 lb, 1/2 lb, 1 lb, 5 lb and 50 lb |
| Which packages carry SAL2-24JB? | 5 lb and 50 lb |
| Do smaller bags have a lot code? | No |
| When was the seed sold? | February 13 through August 23, 2026 |
| How many states received direct Berlin Seeds sales? | 44 states |
| Is the recall tied to an outbreak investigation? | Yes, through supplier traceback |
| Are all 55 broader outbreak illnesses Berlin Seeds cases? | No evidence supports that |
| How many illnesses did Berlin Seeds report directly? | One |
What could change next?
FDA may update the wider outbreak case count, traceback findings, affected distribution, testing results or investigation status. Additional downstream companies could also announce recalls if more products are traced to the implicated seed supply.
Any Berlin Seeds recall expansion, additional lot or package information, new directly linked illnesses, supplier identification or FDA outbreak closure would materially change the current answer and should update this same page.
Verification method
ThePulseSignal reviewed FDA’s Berlin Seeds recall notice and the current FDA alfalfa-sprout outbreak investigation, then reconciled product identification, package sizes, lot-code differences, direct consumer action and broader outbreak counts with current food-safety reporting.
Limitations
The reviewed evidence does not establish the final outbreak case count, the final point of contamination, the identity of the upstream common seed supplier, the amount of recalled seed still held by consumers, the number of Berlin Seeds customers who sprouted or planted affected seed, or whether more downstream recalls will follow.