Failures in sprouts-related risk communication

Abstract

Nutritional and perceived health benefits have contributed to the increasing popularity of raw sprouted seed products. In the past two decades, sprouted seeds have been a recurring food safety concern, with at least 55 documented foodborne outbreaks affecting more than 15,000 people. A compilation of selected publications was used to yield an analysis of the evolving safety and risk communication related to raw sprouts, including microbiological safety, efforts to improve production practices, and effectiveness of communication prior to, during, and after sprout-related outbreaks. Scientific investigation and media coverage of sprout-related outbreaks has led to improved production guidelines and public health enforcement actions, yet continued outbreaks call into question the effectiveness of risk management strategies and producer compliance. Raw sprouts remain a high-risk product and avoidance or thorough cooking are the only ways that consumers can reduce risk; even thorough cooking messages fail to acknowledge the risk of cross-contamination. Risk communication messages have been inconsistent over time with Canadian and U.S. governments finally aligning their messages in the past five years, telling consumers to avoid sprouts. Yet consumer and industry awareness of risk remains low. To minimize health risks linked to the consumption of sprout products, local and national public health agencies, restaurants, retailers and producers need validated, consistent and repeated risk messaging through a variety of sources. IntroductionConsumption of sprouted seeds has become increasingly popular and is consistent with increased consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables (Schrader, 2002). Chemical analysis has shown that sprouts contain proteins, carbohydrates, minerals, and vitamins, making sprouts a nutritious food and popular option for vegetarians (Feng 1999). Over the past two decades though, fresh sprouts have been recognized as a significant food safety concern, with at least 55 sprout-associated outbreaks occurring worldwide affecting a total of 15,233 people. A comprehensive table of sprout-related outbreaks can be found at http://bites.ksu.edu/sprouts-associated-outbreaks (Erdozain, et al. 2011).Sprouts present a unique food safety challenge compared to other fresh produce, as the sprouting process provides optimal conditions for the growth and proliferation of pathogenic bacteria. The sprout industry, regulatory agencies, and the academic community have been collaborating to improve the microbiological safety of raw sprouts, including the implementation of Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP), establishing guidelines for safe sprout production, and chemical disinfection of seed prior to sprouting. However, guidelines and best practices are only as good as their implementation. The consumption of raw sprouts is considered high-risk, especially for young, elderly and immuno-compromised persons (FDA, 2009).This analysis covers the history of sprout-related food safety risk communication and development ...

Survival of Murine Norovirus, Tulane Virus, and Hepatitis A Virus on Alfalfa Seeds and Sprouts during Storage and Germination

“…Alfalfa sprouts may become contaminated from a number of sources, including contaminated seeds, water, or mishandling/ cross-contamination during food preparation (30)(31)(32). Contaminated seeds were previously identified as the major cause for sprout-associated outbreaks (17).…”

“…ith the increasing consumption of sprouted seeds due to health benefits (1), sprouts have been found associated with at least 55 food-borne outbreaks occurring worldwide, resulting in a total of 15,233 illnesses (2). In 2011, the large outbreak in Europe associated with fenugreek seeds contaminated by Escherichia coli O104:H4 (3) renewed awareness for sprout and seed safety.…”

Data visualization of Salmonella Typhimurium contamination in packaged fresh alfalfa sprouts using a Kohonen network

“…According to Erdozain et al [4], following sprout germination it is possible for pathogens to reach concentrations of about 7 Log(CFU/g) without affecting the appearance of the sprouts. Thus, the risk of foodborne disease associated with sprouts increases during sprouting [3,4]. selectivity and sensitivity when exposed to a gaseous ambience of volatile compounds.…”

“…Among sprout-associated outbreaks occurring worldwide, Salmonella, especially Salmonella enterica serovar Saintpaul and S. enterica serovar Typhimurium, appear to be linked more frequently to alfalfa sprout-related illnesses than other foodborne pathogens [4][5][6]. As a consequence, the challenging effort to avoid contaminated packaged raw sprouts as well as other fresh or minimally-processed produce has focused on development of rapid and reliable detection techniques to accurately indicate the presence of foodborne pathogens [1,7].…”

Mandatory Continuing Professional Competencies: Making the Case for Modification of Ontario Regulation 566

“…In May 2000, Walkerton's drinking-water system became contaminated with deadly bacteria, primarily E. coli O157:H7, resulting in seven deaths and more than 2,300 people becoming ill. In 2011 an outbreak of E. coli O104 from raw organic fenugreek sprouts resulted in 53 deaths and more than 4,000 reported cases of illness (Erdozain et al 2013;Rangel et al 2005). PHIs are also involved with the management of other emerging diseases, for example, severe acute respiratory syndrome, antibiotic resistant organisms, invasive group A streptococcus, legionellosis, West Nile virus, Lyme disease, and listeriosis in ready-to-eat foods.…”