Add raw sprouts to your list of foods that require careful handling. Food safety is often confusing, with many associating foodborne illnesses with meat and eggs, particularly Salmonella. However, other foods, including potato salad, certain fruits, and surprisingly, raw sprouts, can also cause foodborne illnesses.
The CDC includes raw alfalfa and bean sprouts among the foods frequently linked to food poisoning, with past outbreaks of Salmonella and E. coli traced back to sprouts. Since 1997, the FDA has investigated over 50 outbreaks related to contaminated sprouts, resulting in more than 2,600 illnesses.
Sprouts thrive in warm, humid environments, which can foster germ growth. Consuming them raw, as is common, can result in food poisoning from Salmonella, E. coli, or Listeria. Thoroughly cooking sprouts can eliminate harmful germs, though they are rarely served cooked.
Contamination often originates from the seeds used for growing. According to Travers Anderson, contamination typically starts with the seeds, which are grown hydroponically. If the seeds are contaminated, the resultant sprouts will also be contaminated.
One solution to reduce the risk is treating alfalfa sprout seeds with a sanitized protocol, like rinsing them in a dilute bleach solution as developed by Clorox and the EPA. At home, creating a dilute bleach solution for rinsing sprouts, fruits, and vegetables is also advisable, though the CDC and FDA suggest washing produce with water alone.
In restaurants, if concerned about illness (unlikely but possible), consider your orders carefully, particularly if you are immunocompromised, and opt for alternatives if necessary.
