Back to Search Subject - Safety of home grown sprouts QUESTION - A participants in a food safety class I offer became concerned after I said that "at-risk" persons for food borne illness should eat sprouts cooked, not raw. She eats sprouts often, especially in winter months. She has a sprout grower. It is three tiered. The seeds, which come packaged, are put in the top tier. Water is in the bottom, which she changes every day. She says that she often will walk by and take out some sprouts and eat them. Do you think it is safe for her to do this? ANSWER - The recommendation for at risk people to not eat raw sprouts stands since contamination, if it does occur, happens before the seeds reach the consumer. It doesn't matter how they were sprouted. Growing Seed Sprouts at Home, University of California - Davis, November 2004