The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has drawn a link between alfalfa sprouts and a Salmonella Muenchen outbreak that has infected 13 people across four U.S. states.

In an announcement today, the center highlighted collaborative investigative efforts across state, local, and federal public health and regulatory officials indicated the alfalfa sprouts produced by Sweetwater Farms of Inman, Kansas were the likely source the outbreak.

The outbreak has been reported in Kansas (5), Missouri (3), Oklahoma (3) and Pennsylvania (2), with date ranging from Dec. 1, 2015 and Jan. 21, 2016.

Five people have been hospitalized from the disease.

"Laboratory testing isolated Salmonella from samples of irrigation water and alfalfa sprouts collected during a recent inspection at Sweetwater Farms. Further testing is ongoing to determine the type and DNA fingerprint of Salmonella isolated in these samples," the CDC said.

"State and local health and regulatory officials performed traceback investigations from five different restaurant locations where ill people ate sprouts. These investigations indicated that Sweetwater Farms supplied alfalfa sprouts to all five locations.

"We recommend that consumers do not eat and restaurants and other retailers do not sell or serve alfalfa sprouts produced by Sweetwater Farms at this time."

Photo: CDC

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