Hold the Sprouts

Hold the Sprouts
February 9, 2002
From a press release

ROCHESTER,MINN. — You might want to forgo adding raw sprouts to your salad or sandwich.While rich in many vitamins and nutrients, raw sprouts have been linked tonumerous outbreaks of E. coli and salmonella, according to the February issue ofMayo Clinic Health Letter.

TheFood and Drug Administration offers this advice on sprouts:

Cookthem — Washing raw sprouts doesn’t significantly reduce the risk ofinfection.
Check the menu — When you are eating out, request that sprouts not beused in your foods.
Be wary of homegrown sprouts — These may be a source of infection too,even if grown under clean conditions.

It’sbelieved that the seeds from which sprouts are grown may become contaminatedbefore harvest by runoff from animal agriculture waste or irrigation. And thewarm humid conditions under which sprouts are grown are ideal for the rapidgrowth of bacteria.