Sprouting

[msmemory_archive]

So what about sprouts has been discovered to be a health risk? Panera has stopped carrying sprouts for my sandwiches - is it a real risk, or have they decided they're a little too hippie?

In semi-related news (same mall), wool is apparently now in season: Fabric Place has both crepe and coating wool in maroon. But the Royal Favor crowd has pillaged the store: there is no more light grey felt or bright purple broadcloth.

Comments

[metahacker.livejournal.com]

Google shows a bunch of Canadian websites that seem to think that sprouts can harbor salmonella and E. Coli, due to improper handling during planting (i.e., carried on manure). Since they're simply rinsed when picked, and not cooked, the bacteria are still present and viable.

Sounds a bit shaky to me, but then again, I don't know what the concentration of those bacteria are in modern processed cow manure. P'rhaps they'll start cooking it before using it (the manure, that is) or something.

[oakleaf-mirror.livejournal.com]

But sprouts are typically not planted, and don't come into contact with manure. The contamination is believed to be on the seeds themselves.

[metahacker.livejournal.com]

I took one small step, and there conclusions were...

I stand corrected. So, how does the contamination get on the seeds in the first place? Are they co-located with contaminants, or something?

[johno.livejournal.com]

According to the Canada Inspections page.

The issue is eColi, which loves the warm most conditions that sprouts are grown in.

[goldsquare.livejournal.com]

Sprouts have been linked to many bacterial infections over the past few years. Salmonella, E. Coli, and a variety of food poisonings. Even a few deaths.

They are a food which is never cooked, cannot be frozen, and if infected at any point in the distribution life cycle, will easily incubate the vector. Consider that other foods, such as cucumber or tomato, don't have as much comestible surface area exposed.

I'd suspect that the restaurant is trying to reduce risk and liability for illness.

You might find this FDA report to be useful - it is from 1999, but has recently been re-cited on their web site. This consumer advisory from the FDA repeats much the same information in a friendlier form. An updated advisory can be found from 2002. And, apparently, they just released a new report in October 2004.

It's not a new thing, that's for sure. But there have been 3 recalls this year of sprouts for contamination (Northwest Inc in early June, Perfect Sprouts in late June, and Fuji Sprouts 2 days later.)

[dglenn.livejournal.com]

"They are a food which is never cooked, cannot be frozen, and if infected at any point in the distribution life cycle, will easily incubate the vector."

Can they be irradiated without damaging flavour or texture? Of course this still leaves the vulnerable to contamination at stages in the distribution process after the irradiation, but if you place the irradiation step as late in the process as is feasible, that ought to help a lot, no?

Or izzat one of those "nobody will ever buy food if they hear this has been done to it" bugaboos?

[goldsquare.livejournal.com]

I am not a professional food chemist, nor am I much of an expert in the chemistry and physics of cookery.

I would think that irradiating sprouts would work perfectly to decontaminate the sprouts without damage - food irradiation being perfectly safe exposure to gammma radiation.

But you can bet that the earthy crunchies who love this sort of thing would stop buying it. Because they are ignorant. I know, I know, there is all sorts of deeply felt beliefs manifested in these debates. But in the end, if you would microwave it and cook it, you should eat this too.

But I have drunk irradiated milk, and it was fine. So far. :-)

Grow your own?

[corwyn-ap.livejournal.com]

Is this just for the commercially sprouted ones, or a risk for home grown ones as well. Considering the number of creatures which eat nothing but raw food (all the rest of them) and the number of years (most of them) that humans did, I can't help but conclude that this is another example of the dieseases of civilization.

Best advice I heard on the subject of food: "Know the face of the person who grows your food."