How worried should you be about German sprouts?

E-mail | Print | Comments () Posted by Deborah Kotz June 6, 2011 09:38 AM

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By Deborah Kotz, Globe Staff

Bean sprouts are likely to blame for the E. coli outbreak in Germany that has so far killed 22 people and sickened more than 2,200, though that won't be confirmed until lab tests are completed later today, the Associated Press reports.

How worried should you be about the "super-toxic" strain of bacteria? Not much -- at least from the German sprouts. The US Food and Drug Administration said that our country hasn't imported any sprouts from Germany since at least last October. And in a press release issued Friday the agency said it "believes that this outbreak has not affected the U.S. food supply."

That's good news, but it certainly isn't a green light to let your guard down. Sprouts are notorious for causing foodborne illnesses often traced back to contamination with salmonella and E. coli bacteria. Over the past 15 years they've been linked to at least 30 reported outbreaks in the United States, including one salmonella outbreak last December that sickened 89 people in 15 states.

For this reason, the FDA says sprouts should be cooked thoroughly to reduce the risk of food poisoning and advises high-risk folks -- children, pregnant women, seniors, and those with weakened immune systems -- to be vigilant about avoiding raw sprouts. The agency also says it's a good idea to request that raw sprouts not be added to sandwiches or salads purchased in restaurants.

Sprouts -- whether alfalfa, bean, clover, or radish -- are more likely to be contaminated, according to the FDA, because the warm, humid conditions in which they grow are also ideal for bacteria to flourish.

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about the blog

Daily Dose gives you the latest consumer health news and advice from Boston-area experts. Deborah Kotz is a former reporter for US News and World Report. Write her at dailydose@globe.com. Follow her on Twitter at @debkotz2.

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