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August 9, 1999
Sprouts Not Healthy Food for Everyone
Children, the elderly, and persons whose immune systems are not functioning well should not eat
raw sprouts, because current treatments of seeds and sprouts cannot get rid of all bacteria present.
ATLANTA—Persons who are at high risk for complications from foodborne illness should
probably not eat raw sprouts, according to an article in the current issue of Emerging Infectious
Diseases, CDC's peer-reviewed journal, which tracks new and reemerging infectious diseases
worldwide.
Although sprouts are often considered a "health food," the warm, humid conditions needed for
growing sprouts from seeds are also ideal for bacteria to flourish. Salmonella, E. coli, and other
bacteria can grow to high levels without affecting the appearance of the sprouts.
The authors reviewed reports from the United States and several other countries of outbreaks
caused by eating contaminated sprouts grown from various kinds of seeds (for example, alfalfa,
mung bean, and clover). The world's largest reported outbreak of E. coli O157:H7 infections,
which occurred in Japan in 1996, was linked to eating white radish (daikon) sprouts.
Approximately 10,000 people became ill in that outbreak.
Researchers have treated both seeds and sprouts with heat or washed them in solutions of
chlorine, alcohol, and other chemicals. Some of these disinfectants reduced the levels of bacteria,
but a potential hazard remained, especially for persons with weak immune systems. High
temperatures that would kill the bacteria on the seeds would also keep them from sprouting.
Until an effective way is found to prevent illness from sprouts, they should be eaten with caution,
if at all.
For more information, contact Dr. Peter Taormina at ptaormina@cfsqe.griffin.peachnet.edu.
Access the full article at www.cdc.gov/ncidod/EID/vol5no5/taormina.htm. All material in
Emerging Infectious Diseases is in the public domain and may be used without special permission;
proper citation, however, is appreciated.
For more information on this or related topics,
see...
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