Doubts About Sprouts

We usually associate bacterial food poisoning with spoiled meats and animal products, but illness can also occur from eating contaminated vegetables.

• This past summer, 70 people became ill from E. coli-contaminated alfalfa sprouts. Outbreaks occurred in Michigan and Virginia, and were thought to have originated from one source of tainted seeds supplied to sprouters in both states. Scientists believe that the seeds were probably contaminated with animal feces during their growth, harvesting, storage or shipping.  Those infected with E. coli can suffer severe stomach cramps and diarrhea. Typically, the symptoms last only about a week, but sometimes the infection proves fatal. Infants, pregnant women, the elderly and people with impaired immune systems are most at risk. 
• In 1996, radish sprouts were thought to have infected 6,000 Japanese with E. coli.
• Since 1995, there have been four reported outbreaks of Salmonella infection in the U.S. due to sprouts. 

Sprouts may be more likely than other vegetable foods to harbor high levels of pathogens, because, during the sprouting process, the number of harmful organisms present on seeds may increase up to 10,000-fold. But, sprouts aren't the only source of vegetable-caused food poisoning. Other recent outbreaks include: hepatitis from Mexican strawberries, which affected 236 people; E. coli poisoning from lettuce, affecting at least 100 people; Cyclospora poisoning from Guatemalan raspberries, affecting over 1,000 people; and E. coli poisoning from apple juice, affecting more than 100 people.  Based on information in: Journal of the American Medical Association, 9-10-97; Nutrition Action Healthletter, June 1997