Safer Sprouts: Efforts Made But Problem Persists

Posted by Fred Pritzker in Food Safety

The crunchy, colorful sprouts that people like to put on sandwiches and in salads have a long history of sporadically carrying pathogens. Already this year there have been several Salmonella sprouts outbreaks, including one currently in progress in Michigan, where the state has confirmed 12 cases and is looking for the source. Two people have been hospitalized.

Salmonella, E .coli O157:H7 and Listeria can flourish in the warm, moist environments where sprouts are grown. The industry is dominated by small operations, many family-owned, and a fair number of these “sprouters” also stage their products as organic. That means no germ-killing baths for the sprouts in calcium hypchlorite, a chlorine-containing compound recommended by the Food and Drug Administration for sanitizing sprouts.

The MI sprouts outbreak is spread over seven counties: Bay, Genesee, Kent, Macomb, Oakland, Washtenaw and Wayne counties. That means the contaminated sprouts could have come from one grower. But there are many instances in which a distributor of  seeds is the cause of an outbreak. When that happens, the same strain of Salmonella or E. coli can cause illness in different regions.

That’s because seeds themselves can be infected with Salmonella or E. coli by coming in contact with contaminated feces through dirty water, bird or rodent droppings, field manure or contaminated equipment. The microbes flourish in the growing conditions — usually on trays or in misted rotating drums — and the USDA’s Agricultural Research Service has theorized that sprout-produced compounds such as amino acids may nurture growth of pathogens.

Microbiologists at the  Ag Research Service have conducted studies to find out which genes in Salmonella are critical to pathogenic bacteria invasion of sprout roots and seed coats. If an answer can be found, there is a chance scientists could amp up the corresponding natural protective response in seeds.

But for now, the best shot at illness prevention is the standing recommendation by the Food and Drug Administration.

• Cook all sprouts thoroughly before eating to significantly reduce the risk of illness.
• Sandwiches and salads purchased at restaurants and delis often contain raw sprouts. Consumers who wish to reduce their risk of food borne illness should request that raw sprouts not be added to their food.
• People in high-risk categories should not eat raw sprouts. The group includes small children, older adults, cancer patients and other individuals who have weakened immune systems.

“Eating raw sprouts is a known risk for exposure to Salmonella or E. coli O157:H7 bacteria,” said Dr. Gregory Holzman, chief medical executive for the Michigan Department of Community Health. “We want to educate people about this known risk in order for them to make informed decisions concerning their health.”

So do we at Pritzker Olsen Attorneys, a national food safety law firm that has been representing victims of food poisoning for many years in all corners of the U.S. For more information, contact us at 1-888-377-8900 (Toll Free).

Tags: food poisoning, sprouts outbreak