Jiimmy John's Serves Up Salmonella-Contaminated Sprouts

Jimmy John's sandwich shops are known for their attitude. They are often found in college towns with young employees, boast of their "subculture" and sport mottoes like "Subs So Fast You'll Freak" and "Free Smells." But when a recent salmonella outbreak sickened 94 people (mostly Jimmy John's customers across 16 states), the sandwich chain was called to the mat. We think the company's attitude demands that it step up to the plate or lose some serious street cred.

The cause of the salmonella outbreak has been traced to sprouts from the Tiny Greens Organic Farm Food company. Because sprouts are not cooked, heat can't kill off bacteria. Sprouts have been linked to more than 40 foodborne illness outbreaks since 1990, and at Jimmy John's sprouts have been linked to E. coli and salmonella outbreaks for the last three years running. More than half of the 94 cases in this recent outbreak were from Illinois, and most of those were traced to a Jimmy John's shop.

That's why after this more recent outbreak, the Marler Clark law firm, which publishes the site Food Safety News, has pledged to donate $10,000 to the International Sprout Growers Association to "assist in the development of a safer method for the production of sprouts." Bill Marler, a food safety advocate and Managing Partner of Marler Clark, has challenged Jimmy John's to match the firm's donation. "Jimmy John's is a victim of its own methods and success when it comes to sprout-linked foodborne illnesses," said Marler Clark attorney David Babcock. "A chain restaurant that sells as many sandwiches nationally as Jimmy John's has an obligation to take needed measures to ensure the safety of its product."

It would be a smart move for Jimmy John's. Safer sprout production would mean fewer customers getting sick each year, and that's a good goal. The company's slogan is that "The customer is usually right." We think funding safer sprout production is the right thing to do. Jimmy John's should match Marler Clark's donation and commit to healthier sandwiches for all those customers who are often — if not always — correct. You can help out by signing our petition asking Jimmy John's to support safer sprout production.

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Photo Credit: Debs (ò‿ó)♪ via Flickr