Sprouting Safety – Preventing e.coli and Salmonella in your Bean & Seed Sprouts

We still don’t know for sure what caused the deadly e.coli outbreak that resulted in over 30 deaths in Germany recently, but the most recent evidence is pointing at the sprouts from a German farm. Officials are still warning people not to eat sprouts.

All information in this article is for educational purposes only.

It is not for the diagnosis, treatment, prescription or cure of any disease or health condition.

The University of California’s Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources research on bacteria and sprouts shows that any contamination in the sprout is likely to come from the seed itself:

‘For most outbreaks, the source of contamination appears to have been the seed. Even if the seed is contaminated, pathogen levels are typically very low, so contamination can easily be missed depending on the nature of the seed-testing program. The best conditions for sprouting are also ideal for multiplication of pathogenic bacteria if they happen to be present on the seed. Even if the seed are only lightly contaminated, Salmonella and E. coli O157:H7 levels can increase to millions of cells per serving during the sprouting process.’

My advice: Buy organic seeds and beans and make your own sprouts at home, using 100% cotton sprout bags. The bags reduce the risk of molds and bacteria because there is no standing water as there can be in jars and trays. When you buy organic seeds, you know you are getting the best, and don’t you deserve the very best quality of foods? Yes!

The benefits of eating sprouts is that they are a live food full of enzyme power and are a great source of protein for the body.

Don’t be afraid to eat sprouts as a result of the e.coli outbreak in Germany; instead just be aware of a better choice which is to make your own sprouts at home.

You can sprout alfalfa, mung beans, lentils, garbanzo beans, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds and more . Bringing variety into your diet is a great way to increase your natural mineral reserve!

I personally prefer the cotton bags over nylon bags for spouting because the cotton is more natural and can keep the sprouts just moist enough to grow without any extra or standing water for bad bacterias. The air flow through the bags is also perfect for preventing mold.

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