Bean Shoots - How Safe?!

crafty30

Hi,

So I’ve just discovered a love of bean shoots and I was searching on the internet for recipes including them and there seemed to be a lot of articles coming up about them causing an E Coli outbreak and other major health scares?! Does anybody know anything about this? I love eating them raw but the articles are saying they should be cooked to kill off the bacteria? I mean I'm sure they wouldn’t still sell them in Supermarkets if they were detrimental to your health would they?!

Thanks!

BarbraP44

If you are concerned about the supermarket variety, google how to grow your own. Read up on the sources of E coli as well. Like salmonella, cleanliness is one way to preventing the bacterium.

crafty30

Ah good idea about growing my own, I hadn’t thought of that..thanks.. I think that would be the best bet!

mlewon

Supermarkets may not know what they contain.

I've worked at a supermarket for over 4 years, and my mom has for 25, and although our store has never had an outbreak, many e. coli outbreaks are discovered in the supermarket THEN tracked back to their origin based on where the orders came from in the past week.

But on that note, spinach has had major e. coli outbreaks as well, and I still buy spinach every week!

Just be safe and watch out for food from certain places (know where the major outbreaks have been) and don't be afraid to ask where your produce is from!

Swissmiss

I also have heard this and when my husband went to put some in our shopping cart yesterday, I asked him to not do that. I don't have a green thumb so I probably wouldn't be able to grow my own. Let us know what you decide and if you do grow your own let us know how they turned out.

grrrlface

There's more cases of food poisoning caused by fruit and veg than anything else. Don't worry about it, just make sure you prepare it well and if you eat them raw then wash them before you do.
We had a problem with cucumbers here, I always washed before I ate it and I was never ill. It just happens.

crafty30

Thanks for all the advice, I didn't realise that you could get ill so easily from fruit and veg! I never wash mine either, oops..I guess I better start doing that then! I eat loads of fruit and salad so better start being a bit more careful I think!

I think I will google growing your own as I am quite up for that! I will report back if I have any success!

mandi2r

I never washed my veggies before either, until one day when I almost ate a ladybug 0.o

Swissmiss

I have never tried to wash bean shoots. But, I will do that now. I really miss them.