Gardeners Basics Broccoli Sprouting Seeds Recalled: Salmonella

On October 8, 2026, Gardeners Basics announced a voluntary recall of one-pound bags of Waltham 29 Broccoli Sprouting Seeds (UPC 848137042889) because the seeds may be contaminated with Salmonella. The trigger is bulk broccoli seed lot #W4105. FDA's October 9, 2026 outbreak update reports 32 illnesses in the broader Salmonella outbreak linked to sprouts. The company advises customers not to eat the seeds or any sprouts grown from them. Customers should stop using the bags, seal them and discard them.

Key takeaways

• Gardeners Basics has announced a voluntary recall of one-pound Waltham 29 Broccoli Sprouting Seeds (UPC 848137042889), packaged in a white and green resealable pouch and marked 'Packed for 2027.' The announcement was posted on October 8, 2026.
• The recall traces to bulk broccoli seed lot #W4105. The company says its seed supplier notified it on September 26, 2026, after FDA found Salmonella in a broccoli seed sample.
• Stop using the seeds, do not eat them or any sprouts grown from them, seal and discard them, and contact Gardeners Basics for recall assistance or a refund. No return is required.
• The seeds were sold online only, through Amazon, www.gardenersbasics.com, TikTok Shop, Walmart, eBay and Etsy. Sales have stopped, and the company reported no related illnesses as of October 6, 2026.

What happened

Gardeners Basics, based in Spanish Fork, Utah, announced the recall on October 8, 2026, and the FDA posted the announcement the same day. The FDA page lists the product type as Food and Beverages with a Foodborne Illness classification, and gives the reason as 'Product may be contaminated with Salmonella.' The recalled item is Gardeners Basics Waltham 29 Broccoli Sprouting Seeds, sold in a white and green resealable pouch with a net weight of one pound (454 g).

According to the company, it was notified on September 26, 2026 by its seed supplier that bulk broccoli seed lot #W4105 had been recalled. The reason given was that Salmonella was detected in a broccoli seed sample collected and analyzed by the FDA. The company also said the seeds had been used by a sprout grower whose finished product was part of an FDA investigation into a multistate foodborne illness outbreak. The announcement does not identify that sprout grower.

FDA's outbreak investigation page, titled 'Outbreak Investigation of Salmonella: Sprouts (September 2026)', was updated October 9, 2026 and now lists Gardeners Basics among the companies involved. The investigation status is shown as ongoing.

What changed

The Gardeners Basics action is a voluntary company recall. It is not a government ban or a restriction on the broader broccoli seed market. The recall covers one specific product, identified by its UPC and its 'Packed for 2027' marking.

This is the third broccoli seed recall linked to the same supplier lot in a short period. Eden Brothers announced a recall of its calabrese broccoli seeds on October 7, 2026, covering lot numbers 1022067 and 1022068, both traced to supplier lot W4105. EAK Distribution announced on October 2, 2026 a recall of its Home Grown 8-oz heirloom broccoli seed product sold on Amazon, lot code AUG172026, which we covered in Amazon Broccoli Sprouting Seeds Recalled for Salmonella. FDA has said it will update its advisory if additional downstream recalls are started.

FDA's October 7, 2026 outbreak update links the illnesses to broccoli sprouts and microgreens grown from a contaminated seed lot, which ties the three recalls to one seed source rather than to separate growers.

For shoppers, the most practical change is where the product was sold. The company says the seeds were distributed nationwide and sold online through Amazon, its own website, TikTok Shop, Walmart, eBay and Etsy. Each of those channels is a place where a buyer might have ordered the bag. The company says sales have stopped.

For readers who want the broader picture, the related Eden Brothers recall from the same lot covers the other brand in this chain.

Who is affected

The recall applies to one product: Gardeners Basics Waltham 29 Broccoli Sprouting Seeds, one-pound resealable pouch, UPC 848137042889, marked 'Packed for 2027.' The company has not disclosed a lot code printed on the bag, so buyers cannot confirm from a lot number alone whether their bag is included. The company's guidance is that if you are unsure whether your bag is affected, stop using it and contact the company.

The company has not disclosed how many bags were sold or recalled, or the date range during which the bags were sold. It has also not named the seed supplier that recalled the bulk lot.

The company says no illnesses related to this product had been reported to it as of October 6, 2026. FDA's outbreak page, updated October 9, 2026, reports 32 illnesses, 3 hospitalizations and 0 deaths across six states with cases: Idaho, Minnesota, Montana, Oregon, Utah and Washington. That six-state list is the published figure.

In FDA's September 24 update, illness onset dates ranged from July 7, 2026 to September 3, 2026. The same earlier update reported that 26 of 27 people interviewed (96%) said they ate sprouts or microgreens, and 22 of them specifically reported eating broccoli sprouts. Our earlier article on the broccoli sprouts Salmonella outbreak has more background.

Who faces higher risk

The company's announcement says Salmonella can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems. FDA's Salmonella page says children, the elderly, pregnant women and persons with weakened immune systems "should avoid" raw sprouts, and it treats raw sprouts as a category of concern for these groups.

Healthy people infected with Salmonella often have fever, diarrhea that may be bloody, nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain. The company also says that in rare cases the bacteria can enter the bloodstream and cause more severe illnesses such as infected aneurysms, endocarditis and arthritis. FDA notes that most people begin to have symptoms 12 to 72 hours after infection, and that the illness usually lasts four to seven days and most people recover without treatment.

The evidence cannot establish how any individual person would respond to exposure, how many people handled these particular bags, or how many illnesses in the outbreak trace to this brand rather than others. Those questions remain open in the public record.

What it means for shoppers

The company's instructions are direct. Stop using the recalled seeds. Do not eat the seeds or any sprouts grown from them. Seal the seeds and any sprouts in a bag and throw them away. No return is required.

FDA also recommends that customers who purchased or received recalled broccoli sprouts or seeds carefully clean and sanitize any surfaces or containers they touched. Anyone who develops symptoms that resemble a Salmonella infection after eating recalled broccoli sprouts or handling recalled seeds should contact a health care provider.

A practical checklist for a buyer who is trying to work out whether a bag is the recalled product:

• Check for a one-pound white and green resealable pouch with the product name Waltham 29 Broccoli Sprouting Seeds.
• Look for UPC 848137042889 on the package.
• Look for the words 'Packed for 2027' on the bag.
• Note where it was purchased, since the company asks for the order number and the seller name when you contact it.

If you cannot confirm the bag from these details, the company's advice is to stop using it and contact the company. The company's contact line is 801-769-6181. It says you can text or leave a voicemail at any time, seven days a week, and that live calls are not answered. Include your order number and where you bought the product when you reach out.

For sprouts in general, FDA's Salmonella page notes that past U.S. outbreaks have been associated with raw sprouts. That is a reason to read recall notices from every brand, not only the one in your kitchen.

The background

Salmonella is a bacterium that can cause salmonellosis, a foodborne illness. The recall begins with a seed, not a finished sprout, which is why the chain runs from a supplier lot to several downstream brands.

The company's announcement describes a chain that started with a seed sample. FDA collected and analyzed a broccoli seed sample that tested positive for Salmonella. The company was told on September 26, 2026 that bulk lot #W4105 had been recalled. A sprout grower that used seeds from that lot had finished product included in the multistate outbreak investigation, which FDA lists as ongoing.

For context on how FDA reports outbreaks across a full year, see FDA's 2025 outbreak report.

What to watch next

FDA's outbreak investigation is listed as ongoing, and FDA says it is continuing to work with the supply chain. FDA has said the advisory will be updated if more downstream recalls are started. Readers should expect that page, and the company's own announcement, to be the primary places where changes appear.

The public case count for the outbreak is 32 illnesses, the figure reported in FDA's October 9, 2026 update. The figure may rise as more cases are identified, and the most recent illness onset date in the record is September 3, 2026. Readers should treat the 32 figure as the latest published count rather than a final total.

Several details remain undisclosed: the number of bags sold or recalled, the name of the supplier that recalled lot #W4105, the identity of the sprout grower, any lot code printed on the Gardeners Basics bag, the sale date range for the bags, and whether any illnesses are linked specifically to Gardeners Basics seeds. The company has said no related illnesses had been reported to it as of October 6, 2026.