MONDAY MUSINGS: SPROUTS

 So I have had a week to muse on what foods went past my lips when trying to pinpoint the culprit of my demise and you may not believe what I learned about food poisoning. 

Raw Sprouts

"Often stuffed in sandwiches and wraps to add a crunch or used as a garnish on a beautifully plated entrée, raw sprouts like alfalfa, clover, mung and bean sprouts have been linked to many food poisoning outbreaks.  

How come these little leafy veggies cause so much damage? “Sprouts are grown from non-sterile seeds that carry microbial spores or colonies, which are kept in a moist environment at a temperature of 70 to 85 degrees Fahrenheit,” Le told HuffPost. “As this is well above refrigeration conditions, these temperatures allow microorganisms to grow fairly rapidly. They are sprouted in soil or a porous material such as coconut coir, peat moss or perlite. These are also not sterile materials. A number of pathogens can grow, including salmonella, E. coli and listeria. Because it can take up to three to four days to complete the sprouting process, the cell counts for these microorganisms can reach billions.”

Washing the sprouts doesn’t remove the microorganisms that can cause foodborne illness. Instead, cook sprouts to kill any bacteria, though this diminishes their crisp and fresh texture."

There you have my culprit it was the dang sprout salad I had for lunch one day  which I thought was so healthy for me. I personally will not be buying any more sprouts. Once was enough.

My sore stomach muscles are slowly healing.  It has been a very painful recuperation...