Recognising that sprouted seeds are generally consumed raw or minimally processed, the panel on Biological Hazards (BIOHAZ Panel) concluded that sprouted seeds are ready-to-eat foods with food safety concerns because certain pathogenic bacteria can contaminate seeds and grow during sprouting.
Preventing initial contamination during production, storage and distribution of seeds is of the foremost importance, as sprouted seeds have the potential to cause large food-borne outbreaks.
Operators producing sprouted seeds should strive to implement additional food safety management measures across the whole sprout production chain. Stakeholders at all parts of the production chain and consumers, including also those practising home-sprouting, should be informed of the food safety risk posed by sprouted seeds, the EFSA said.
The European Commission requested a risk assessment of seeds and sprouted seeds intended for human consumption following the most recent outbreaks in Germany and France in spring and summer 2011.
In its opinion, the BIOHAZ Panel noted that large outbreaks associated with consumption of contaminated sprouts have previously been reported in the EU and worldwide. Sprout-associated outbreaks are most commonly caused by Salmonella and pathogenic E. coli.
The panel concluded that sprouted seeds pose specific microbial food safety concerns and that there are several risk factors for contamination affecting the entire sprouted seed production chain.
Pathogenic bacteria can contaminate the seeds intended for sprouting during production, storage and distribution through, for example, contaminated irrigation water and soil particles. The high temperature and humidity needed for the germination and sprouting of seeds are also favourable conditions for pathogenic bacteria to further grow and spread.
Consumption of raw or minimally processed sprouted seeds pose additional food safety concerns. EFSA’s risk assessment focused on seeds and sprouts, as there is limited scientific information available on shoots and cress.
EFSA’s BIOHAZ Panel considers sprouted seeds as ready-to-eat foods and therefore recommends that general EU food safety hygiene rules should be applied across the whole chain from seed production to the final sprouted product.
The panel concluded that preventing initial contamination of seeds intended for sprouting is of particular importance, as there are currently no methods to ensure elimination of pathogens in all types of seeds used for sprouting. The Panel notes that the control of a sprout-associated outbreak is challenging as seed lots can be widely distributed and therefore difficult to trace.
Source: EFSA
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