To not have known you shouldn't eat bean sprouts raw!?

[DottyLS]

Now I have and I'm worried 😦

You can eat raw beansprouts. What are you on about?

It’s fine. It’s just if they are off they can make you really I’ll.

It says on the pack (very small writing! ) do not eat raw! Apparently high risk of salmonella/e coli/listeria

Why? We’ve had raw bean sprouts in Asian salads and no issues 🤷‍♀️

How else would you eat them? Obviously you need to wash them, but I love a crunch beansprout salad. Or do you mean tinned bean sprouts?

@Simpsonssky but how do I know if they were off? Just wait?

As long as they are fresh and not going off you can eat raw beansprouts, i cook mine in a stir fry for no more than about 30 seconds as i like them crunchy and just warmed up

you can tell if they are off as they get a stale musty smell to them

Scared me that it says it on the packet not to

I think it's because they've been linked to e coli, salmonella etc outbreaks in the past. We always used to eat them raw.

No, you really shouldn't eat them raw due to the high risk of food poisoning. I only found this out a year or do ago, and was astounded, but it's true.

That said, if you're fit and healthy, not pregnant or immuno-supressed, then it's a risk you could take, if you wish. Anecdotally, I certainly ate raw ones many times in the past with no adverse effects.

It's nothing to do with them bring off, by the way. Fresh raw ones can cause food poisoning.

You should rince them in water first.

Of course you can.

Like many things, you could eat raw beansprouts loads and never get ill, but if you're unlucky it can be very, very serious. You can just steam or fry them briefly.

Or maybe not. Google tells me

The NHS currently advises only eating raw beansprouts if they're labelled ‘ready to eat’; all other sprouts should be cooked thoroughly until steaming hot throughout. People in vulnerable groups are advised to cook all sprouts until steaming hot throughout before eating.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-manchester-11491424

I've done the same, and worried. I much prefer them raw but it's obviously a risk! Like oysters I suppose.

They could make the warning more visible

It’s because of the sprouting process. They basically sit in warm water to germinate (sprout) that can turn into a bacterial soup if the water becomes contaminated. The perfect conditions for sprouting beans are the perfect conditions for bacteria to proliferate.

Along with oysters, they are one of the highest risk foods for food poisoning.

It’s still a very tiny risk though. You’ll probably be fine.

The worst food poisoning I've ever had was from eating undercooked green beans. I was so poorly. I really felt vilely poisoned, didn't realise they would do that.

I never knew this and I grew up in the Far East. I've been eating raw beansprouts my whole life and I've made it to my 50's. I wouldn't worry

It's not the bean sprouts as such. It's the fact that they are prone to food poisoning bacteria and in the UK usually ( but not always) packaged and stored with the assumption that they will be cooked and not eaten raw. In some other countries they are mostly sold for salads and are packaged differently. However you should always wash thoroughly.
..and thank you, you just reminded me to rinsethe lot I started off growing for my salads this morning :)