Jimmy Johns linked to salmonella outbreak in suburbs

The Illinois Department of Public Health announced Friday it has received 46 reports from people who have gotten sick from salmonella poisoning after eating alfalfa sprouts on sandwiches at Jimmy John's.

People in nine counties Cook, McHenry, Will, Kankakee, Champaign, Peoria, Adams, McLean, and Winnebago have contacted the health department since Nov. 1 after getting ill.

The state is investigating alfalfa sprout producers and suppliers, and produce testing for salmonella is ongoing.

The department has also been in contact with Jimmy John's and informed them of the reports of salmonella, said Melaney Arnold, a department spokeswoman.

“But at this time, it remains Jimmy John's decision to stop using alfalfa sprouts,” she said in an e-mail.

Four sandwiches at Jimmy John's include alfalfa sprouts, according to a menu posted on the restaurant chain's website.

Officials with the Champaign-based company couldn't be reached for comment Friday.

Symptoms of salmonella exposure include diarrhea, vomiting, fever and stomach cramps, and typically develop within six to 72 hour after contact with the bacteria.

They generally last three to seven days, according to the health department.

The state recommends contacting a doctor and local health department after becoming ill from eating alfalfa sprouts.