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I buy my bean sprouts at the Japanese market, and they have the sani-pac sacks.
That isn't going to help if the sprouts inside the Sani-Pak packaging are contaminated. That is what has happened in all the serious cases so far. It wasn't mishandling at the Point of Sale that caused the issues, it was contamination of the beans or seeds before they were grown into sprouts.
Yeah Wal-Mart has the worst produce. I have tried it in the past, and it is horrible. Not fresh at all
You can just stand by any item in the produce section and watch it rot. 2 months ago I went to
Kroger looking for bean sprouts (use them in a noodle stir fry - so I do cook them to kill any bacteria) and
the nice guy in the produce department to me then why they don't carry it. Oddly, the
restaurants do and have it available (and yes on sandwiches and salads).
Last edited by baileyvpotter; 06-25-2013 at 03:10 PM..
Reason: tiny error
Another problem that would be solved through irradiation of fresh vegetables.
Unfortunately bean sprouts, along with other veggies with high water content, like lettuce, are poor candidates for irradiation, because the process wilts them.
But there is another possibility, to "pasteurize" the beans and seeds before sprouting them using hot water. Here's an article about that possibility.:
Unfortunately the Kroger guy outlined the overriding logistical problem... it's a low margin product that does not sell in large volume, and it involves an outsized risk... so why carry the product at all? And that's exactly why the markets are all dropping them.
Unfortunately the Kroger guy outlined the overriding logistical problem... it's a low margin product that does not sell in large volume, and it involves an outsized risk... so why carry the product at all? And that's exactly why the markets are all dropping them.
Also, Kroger's tends to use warehouse distribution which means that the bean sprouts have to be handles 2-3 times.
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I have friends who grow mung bean sprouts commercially in Chicago's Chinatown. It is one of the more capital intensive and temperature/humidity controlled environment. Personally, I cannot see how they can be held for more than a day or two without picking up some pathogen.
Having said that, once you have had them that fresh, you will not head to Krogers or another supermarket.
They are so easy to grow, why not save money and grow your own? Then, at least you know where they come from and don't have to worry about the risks. They are very easy to grow indoors.
Personally, I cannot see how they can be held for more than a day or two without picking up some pathogen.
No, that isn't the problem.
The problem is that the dried mung beans arrive with the pathogens already in them, and they're activated by the sprouting process.
If I recall correctly, the alfalfa seed that was sprouted in Europe which killed 50 people and hospitalized hundreds more was originally grown in Egypt, and was most likely contaminated there. That's why I personally only buy my sprouting stock from the most dependable sources.
Yeah Wal-Mart has the worst produce. I have tried it in the past, and it is horrible. Not fresh at all
I am not a WalMart fan, but this isn't always true. I got corn in there last week, it was the best we have had so far this year. I also get snow peas, when we are not going near the Asian market and I have gotten other produce there. I shop at WalMart only when I need a bunch of stuff from a bunch of dept, like nursery, food, canning supplies, etc. I think it depends on how well kept and where the WalMart is located.
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