CDC, public health and regulatory officials in several states, and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) investigated a multistate outbreak of Salmonella Typhimurium infections. Investigation data showed that BrightFarms brand packaged salad greens made people sick.

A total of 31 people infected with the outbreak strain of Salmonella Typhimurium were reported from 4 states. Illnesses started on dates ranging from June 10, 2021, to August 18, 2021. Sick people ranged in age from less than 1 year to 86 years, with a median age of 44, and 60% were female. Four people were hospitalized, and no deaths were reported.

Interview data and shopper card records show that 15 people ate or bought a variety of BrightFarms packaged salad greens before they got sick, including Sunny Crunch, 50/50 Spring & Spinach, Harvest Crunch, and Butter Crisp. FDA conducted a traceback investigation and identified BrightFarms greenhouse farm in Rochelle, Illinois, as the likely source of packaged salad greens bought by sick people.

FDA visited BrightFarms greenhouse farm in Rochelle, Illinois, and collected samples for testing. They found a different Salmonella strain (Salmonella Liverpool) in an indoor pond where BrightFarms grew lettuce. The PulseNet system did not identify anyone who got sick from this strain. FDA also found the outbreak strain of Salmonella Typhimurium in an outdoor storm water drainage pond beside the farm. However, investigators were unable to determine how this pond became contaminated.

Testing of four sick people’s samples using standard antibiotic susceptibility testing methods by CDC’s National Antimicrobial Resistance Monitoring System (NARMS) laboratory showed no resistance. WGS analysis of bacteria from 30 sick people’s samples did not predict resistance to any antibiotics. One person’s sample was predicted to be resistant to ampicillin.

The outbreak was declared over on October 6, 2021.