Improving Seed Sprout Food Safety: A farm to retail assessment

  • 85 pages

  • Published: 17 Jul 2013

  • Author(s): Kiermeier, Andreas , May, Damian, Holds, Geoff

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Alfalfa sprouts are produced from lucerne seed where there are multiple potential pathways for foodborne pathogens to contaminate seeds. The sprouting process provides an optimal environment for pathogens, such as Salmonella and E. coli O157, to proliferate if they are present on the seeds. Consequently, Australian and international public health agencies have focused on decontamination of seed prior to sprouting. The research described here was undertaken to find decontamination treatments that are at least as effective as 20,000 ppm calcium hypochlorite, but pose a lower occupational health and safety risk.
This report is targeted as seed cleaners, sprout processors and food safety regulatory agencies.