Food Standards Agency
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Agency advice on cooking bean sprouts
The Food Standards Agency has yesterday updated its advice to people on the handling and cooking of raw bean sprouts following more cases of food poisoning linked to an outbreak of salmonella.
An investigation by the Health Protection Agency has now identified 106 cases of Salmonella Bareilly in England, Wales and Northern Ireland since the beginning of August with possible links to raw bean sprouts. Health Protection Scotland has investigated 19 confirmed cases in Scotland during the same period.
The investigation is ongoing and no conclusive source has been identified. However, as a precaution the FSA is reminding people of its advice on preparing and cooking bean sprouts.
FSA advice
The FSA advises people to:
- keep bean sprouts refrigerated
- avoid sprouts that have turned brown or have a strange odour
- rinse raw bean sprouts thoroughly
- follow any instructions on the packaging and use the bean sprouts by the ‘use by’ dates
- bean sprouts that are labelled ‘ready to eat’ can be eaten uncooked, as long as they are consumed within the ‘use by’ date
- bean sprouts not labelled ‘ready to eat’ should be cooked thoroughly until they are piping hot all the way through
- if you are unsure whether the bean sprouts are ‘ready to eat’, or in the absence of clear preparation instructions, always cook the bean sprouts thoroughly before eating. This includes bean sprouts that are labelled or appear ‘pre-washed’, but are not described as ‘ready to eat’
For any person considered to be in a vulnerable group:
- as a precautionary measure, cook all bean sprouts before eating them
- ensure bean sprouts are heated thoroughly until they are piping hot all the way through, including those labelled ‘ready to eat’
Vulnerable groups are people with weakened immune systems, as well as the elderly, the very young and pregnant women.
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