To produce alfalfa, nutrients, water and humidity is used to help the seeds sprout; these are also good conditions for bacteria to grow.

If salmonella is found on the final product, affected producers need to do a full recall, as they have done in.

It is recommended that consumers with low or compromised immune systems, such as those under 5 years old or over 70, should always avoid eating sprouts.

 Although we would never want to see anyone hospitalised, it’s important to bear in mind that Australian food safety standards are among the best in the world and it’s crucial to include fresh fruit and vegetables as part of a healthy diet.

Salmonella is a severe form of gastroenteritis where people experience diarrhoea, vomiting, fever, muscle aches and tiredness. Around 20 per cent of infected people are admitted to hospital for rehydration. If people have eaten the recalled alfalfa sprouts product and have these symptoms they should see their doctor.

Seed sprouts, such as alfalfa sprouts, can become contaminated with bacteria during the growing and production process. During the seed growing process they can become contaminated with animal faeces.

Sprouts have caused very large and serious outbreaks of Salmonella and Shiga-toxin producing E. coli outbreak in many countries. Salmonella is a common cause of foodborne disease outbreaks. There are between 50-100 Salmonella outbreaks investigated in Australia each year. Food sources vary widely, but often involve contaminated eggs, ready-to-eat foods, and fresh produce, such as fruits, and salad vegetables.

Outbreaks of food-borne illness both in Australia and overseas have been associated with eating seed sprouts such as alfala. Most seed sprouts are consumed raw, so do not receive any form of heat treatment prior to consumption which would kill any pathogens (if present). A 2005 Salmonella outbreak in WA of 125 cases was linked to alfalfa sprouts, and a 2006 Salmonella outbreak of 15 cases in Victoria was linked to alfalfa sprouts.

To eat bean sprouts safely, adhere to the use-by-date displayed on seed sprout packaging, follow storage directions on the seed sprout packaging, and store seed sprouts at 5ºC or below. Avoid cross contamination from other risky foods such as meat or poultry. Washing sprouts has been found to be not very effective as laboratory studies have shown that bacteria can be internalised in the sprouts, making it difficult wash off/sanitise, and bacteria can be protected in a biofilm on the sprout surface.

People in the four vulnerable demographics (young children, people 70+, immune-compromised, or pregnant) should not eat uncooked sprouts of any kind, as well as raw or lightly-cooked eggs, or other foods likely to be contaminated with listeria such as paté or soft cheeses.

Salmonella are a group of bacteria (or ‘germs’) that can cause gastroenteritis (‘tummy upset’s") that can range from stomach cramps, nausea and loss of appetite through to vomiting and diarrhoea.

Salmonella can contaminate food or water and, if we drink or eat those contaminated products, can set up an infection in our digestive systems. Salmonella havana is just one of many types of Salmonella that can cause human foodborne illness.
Salmonella contamination of sprouts is not uncommon, and there have been many outbreaks from Salmonella in sprouts in Australia over recent years. Similar outbreaks occur internationally.

It's a challenge for the food industry to produce safe sprouts because sprouts are fresh, and healthy foods and don’t have any processing steps or chemicals that would eliminate Salmonella if it is present.  The techniques that could fully eliminate Salmonella can also damage the seeds used for sprouting so that they don’t produce sprouts.  During the sprouting process Salmonella can increase in number, increasing the risk to consumers of getting an infection.

Food scientists and the food industry continue to try to find ways to safely sprout seeds without also encouraging the growth of Salmonella. Preventing contamination of the seeds with Salmonella is a critical step in minimising risk of food borne illness.

The recent outbreak of Samonella havana poisoning linked to SA Sprouts alfalfa sprouts has already resulted 7 hospitalisations. Salmonellosis can cause headache, fever, abdominal cramps, diarrhoea, vomiting and nausea. The severity of the symptoms might vary but the cramps have been described by some suffers as “worse than giving birth”.

Salmonella is a foodborne pathogen mostly associated with undercooked poultry, foodstuffs that contain raw eggs such as mayonnaise and tiramisu and fruit & vegetables with sprouts being a particularly typical vehicle for this pathogen. The origin of the contamination has not been determined yet, but could have been from the water used for irrigation, manure or the soil itself. Standard post-harvest washing and disinfection procedures would normally remove Salmonella and other pathogens. However, Salmonella could also grow inside the food or could have survived the washing procedure. Fruit and vegetables that are consumed raw then pose a particular danger of causing infection.

In Australia alone, OzFoodNet reported 30,957 notifications of 9 diseases or conditions that may be transmitted by food in their last annual report in 2011 and the USA is currently suffering from a multistate Salmonella outbreak linked to precut melons.