Reducing the hazard of microbial food safety in the production of seeds for sprouting

The FDA issued final guidance for “Reducing Microbial Food Safety Hazards in the Production of Seed for Sprouting.”  The document outline the FDA concerns about foodborne illness outbreaks associated with the consumption of raw and lightly-cooked sprouts. The FDA provides manufacturers of seeds with recommendations to prevent contamination during the seed production process. According to the document, between 1996 and 2020, the FDA observed 52 reported outbreaks of foodborne illness associated with contaminated sprouts in the US. FDA estimates that these outbreaks resulted in more than 2,700 cases of illness. While contamination can occur at any point in the process, the contaminated seed has historically been identified as the likely source of most sprout-related outbreaks. It continues to be the most common source of sprout contamination. This document is intended to clarify the public regarding existing requirements under the law. @ https://www.fda.gov/regulatory-information/search-fda-guidance-documents/guidance-industry-reducing-microbial-food-safety-hazards-production-seed-sprouting?