Investigations of microbial contamination of sprouts

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Apr 19, 2018 - Microbiology

Investigations of microbial contamination of sprouts

Sprouts or seedlings are usually consumed raw, as a salad accompaniment or as a "topping" on sandwiches. Fresh sprouts align with the trend of a healthy and balanced dietary style. Regardless of their high nutritional value, raw sprouts are microbiologically a high-risk food.
During the germination process, the conditions - warm temperature, high water activity - are ideal for the growth of microorganisms. The consumption of fresh sprouts has been repeatedly identified in the past as the cause of foodborne infections. The most common disease cases were associated with Salmonella. Rare cases of transmission of Bacillus cereus, Listeria monocytogenes, EHEC, Staphylococcus aureus, Aeromonas hydrophila or Yersinia enterocolitica have also been documented.

Investigations on the microbial contamination of sprouts from retail conducted at the Institute for Safety and Quality in Fruit and Vegetables showed high total bacterial counts (TBC) of aerobic mesophilic bacteria from 107 up to 1010CFU/g. The TBC mainly consists of a variety of Gram-negative, rod-shaped bacteria, such as Pseudomonads and Enterobacteria. Some representatives are partly part of the usual bacterial flora of these products, but under certain circumstances, they can have a weak pathogenic effect. They can therefore potentially lead to illness in immunocompromised individuals (small children, seniors, and pregnant women). Hence, these individuals are advised not to consume raw sprouts.
 

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Source: Max Rubner Institute