A Maryland sprout processor has ceased operations while federal health-types report that 140 people were sickened in the salmonella-in-sprouts-served-at-Jimmy-John’s outbreak.

The two items are unrelated, except they both involve sprouts.

Last week, U.S. Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein filed a complaint in U.S. District Court in Maryland against Mount Airy-based Vegi-Pak Farm LLC, general manager Brian Lee and President Sun Ja Lee seeking a permanent injunction until the facility can be brought into compliance. A consent decree details a list of required actions, including cleaning the facility, storing seeds safely and treating them to reduce pathogens.

"We’re 100 percent complying with their finding and how to resolve any and all issues," Brian Lee said in a telephone interview.

Vegi-Pak had been processing and packaging tofu and soybean and mung bean sprouts distributed to Korean markets in Maryland, Virginia and Washington. According to the complaint, Food and Drug Administration inspectors found equipment coated in food waste and a fly infestation inside the facility in September. In addition, workers were not adequately washing and cleaning the soybeans, and reported they were instructed by the company president to fabricate disinfection records, according to the complaint.

Yesterday, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control reported that from November 1, 2010, through February 9, 2011, 140 individuals infected with the outbreak strain of Salmonella serotype I 4,[5],12:i:-, whose illnesses began since November 1, were reported from 26 states and the District of Columbia. Results of the investigation indicated a link to eating Tiny Greens Alfalfa Sprouts or Spicy Sprouts at Jimmy John’s restaurant outlets.

* Testing by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) of one environmental (water run-off) sample identified Salmonella serotype I 4,[5],12:i:- that was indistinguishable from the outbreak strain.
* Consumers should not eat recalled Tiny Greens Alfalfa Sprouts or Spicy Sprouts, and restaurant and food service operators should not serve them.