Still no answer from FDA over alleged salmonella

Owner of Evergreen Produce in Moyie Springs, Nadine Scharf’s frustration grows each day as she waits to hear from the Food and Drug Administration.

The FDA issued a warning last week to consumers asking themto avoid Evergreen Produce brand alfalfa sprouts or spicy sprouts because they may be linked to 20 cases of salmonella poisoning.

On Wednesday, Scharf said that 35 pounds of seed taken from their seed supplier two weeks ago, Pineview Horticulture, was tested by the FDA and the results came back negative for salmonella or any other kind of bacteria.

Scharf said she would send documentation of these results to the Herald.

The FDA has not sent or given Scharf an answer as to the results of the alfalfa sprout samples taken, also two weeks ago.

When Scharf asked them if they were going to help her get the business back on track after the tests come back negative the FDA told her they do not do that.

Messages were also left for Stephanie Yao with the FDA office of public affairs and she did not return call. 

Yao did send an  e-mail last week  stating, “This is an open investigation. As such, I am unable to share details not already made public via the FDA press release.”

Panhandle Health District public information officer Cynthia Taggart said  that they did not have confirmation that Evergreen Produce was the source of the salmonella and they could not comment until there was confirmation. 

There has not been another  press release as of Wednesday, July 6.

Emily Simnit, Public Information Officer for Idaho Department of Health and Welfare said it is difficult to say how long a food investigation will take.

“It is also possible we will never know for sure what the source is,” said Simnit.

“We represent 14 families in our plant and no one has ever gotten sick from our plants or sprouts,” said Scharf.  “We give them to neighbors and friends and never have had a problem.”

While the FDA now has the power to force a recall the agency has not yet used that power. FDA generally works with companies to voluntarily issue a recall before it takes more drastic steps.

The agency said it believes they were distributed in Idaho, Montana and Washington. Scharf said that their products are distributed to Spokane, Wash., where they are then sent to other places.

Evergreen Produce has been in business for 23 years in Moyie Springs. 

“They have virtually destroyed our business and have no plans on getting us back to where we were before they put out the warning on our product,” Scharf said.