Raw Sprouts
Everyday exposureFood & drinkAlso called · 8 names▾▴
raw sprouts, sprouts, alfalfa sprouts, bean sprouts, mung bean sprouts, sprout salad, sprouts in pregnancy, radish sprouts
Listeria group
General information · effects depend on amount, timing, and how it is used. About these sources
Research strength: 4 / 5
CDC lists raw or undercooked sprouts as a riskier choice during pregnancy and cooked sprouts, until steaming hot, as a lower-risk choice. FDA explains that bacteria can be present on seeds and multiply in the warm, humid growing conditions; it says thorough cooking significantly lowers illness risk. FSANZ also lists raw seed sprouts as a higher-risk food for vulnerable people and names thoroughly cooked sprouts as the alternative. CDC and EFSA outbreak reports document illness linked to contaminated sprouts, but do not estimate the chance of illness from one serving. Ask your provider about your situation.
Last reviewed: 2026-10-18
Sources
- CDC: Safer Food Choices for Pregnant WomenUS government
- FDA: Fruits, Veggies and Juices (Food Safety for Moms-to-Be)US government
- FSANZ: Food Safety for Vulnerable People
- CDC: 2016 Salmonella Outbreak Linked to Alfalfa SproutsUS government
- CDC: Investigation Update, E. coli and Salmonella Outbreak Linked to Alfalfa Sprouts, October 2026US government
- EFSA/ECDC: Multi-country Salmonella Outbreak Linked to Alfalfa Sprouted SeedsEU agency
Research strength: 4 / 5
CDC lists raw or undercooked sprouts as a riskier choice during pregnancy and cooked sprouts, until steaming hot, as a lower-risk choice. FDA explains that bacteria can be present on seeds and multiply in the warm, humid growing conditions; it says thorough cooking significantly lowers illness risk. FSANZ also lists raw seed sprouts as a higher-risk food for vulnerable people and names thoroughly cooked sprouts as the alternative. CDC and EFSA outbreak reports document illness linked to contaminated sprouts, but do not estimate the chance of illness from one serving. Ask your provider about your situation.
Last reviewed: 2026-10-18
Sources
- CDC: Safer Food Choices for Pregnant WomenUS government
- FDA: Fruits, Veggies and Juices (Food Safety for Moms-to-Be)US government
- FSANZ: Food Safety for Vulnerable People
- CDC: 2016 Salmonella Outbreak Linked to Alfalfa SproutsUS government
- CDC: Investigation Update, E. coli and Salmonella Outbreak Linked to Alfalfa Sprouts, October 2026US government
- EFSA/ECDC: Multi-country Salmonella Outbreak Linked to Alfalfa Sprouted SeedsEU agency
Research strength: 4 / 5
CDC lists raw or undercooked sprouts as a riskier choice during pregnancy and cooked sprouts, until steaming hot, as a lower-risk choice. FDA explains that bacteria can be present on seeds and multiply in the warm, humid growing conditions; it says thorough cooking significantly lowers illness risk. FSANZ also lists raw seed sprouts as a higher-risk food for vulnerable people and names thoroughly cooked sprouts as the alternative. CDC and EFSA outbreak reports document illness linked to contaminated sprouts, but do not estimate the chance of illness from one serving. Ask your provider about your situation.
Last reviewed: 2026-10-18
Sources
- CDC: Safer Food Choices for Pregnant WomenUS government
- FDA: Fruits, Veggies and Juices (Food Safety for Moms-to-Be)US government
- FSANZ: Food Safety for Vulnerable People
- CDC: 2016 Salmonella Outbreak Linked to Alfalfa SproutsUS government
- CDC: Investigation Update, E. coli and Salmonella Outbreak Linked to Alfalfa Sprouts, October 2026US government
- EFSA/ECDC: Multi-country Salmonella Outbreak Linked to Alfalfa Sprouted SeedsEU agency
Raw Sprouts — Breastfeeding
Research strength: 2 / 5
In its travelers' diarrhea guidance, CDC says a nursing mother with diarrhea caused by food or water can continue breastfeeding and increase fluids. CDC lists cooked sprouts, until steaming hot, as a lower-risk choice for foodborne illness, but does not give separate sprout guidance for breastfeeding. The available guidance addresses food handling and maternal illness, not a breastfeeding-specific restriction on sprouts. Ask your provider about your situation.
Last reviewed: 2026-10-18
Pregnancy
A 2016 CDC investigation reported 26 Salmonella infections in 12 states and 8 hospitalizations; investigators linked the outbreak to alfalfa sprouts grown from one contaminated seed lot. A separate 2016 CDC report identified 11 STEC O157 cases in 2 states and 2 hospitalizations; alfalfa sprouts were the likely source. A 2013-2014 outbreak paper linked sprouted chia seed powder to 94 infections in 16 US states and 4 Canadian provinces; 17 of 80 people with hospitalization information were hospitalized. CDC's 2022 investigation recorded 63 illnesses in 8 states and 10 hospitalizations linked to alfalfa sprouts. In 2026, CDC reported 76 illnesses associated with a recalled alfalfa seed lot and 32 illnesses linked to broccoli sprouts. EFSA and ECDC reported 109 confirmed Salmonella cases linked to alfalfa sprouted seeds in 10 EU/EEA countries and the UK, 18 hospitalizations, and one fatality among confirmed cases in 2026. These are outbreak counts, not estimates of illness risk per serving.
Breastfeeding
In its travelers' diarrhea guidance, CDC says a nursing mother with diarrhea caused by food or water can continue breastfeeding and increase fluids. A 2025 human study enrolled 8 uncomplicated pregnancies over 37 weeks and gave one oral broccoli sprout extract dose equivalent to 21 mg sulforaphane before cesarean delivery. After a second postpartum dose 2 to 4 days later, researchers measured sulforaphane in maternal milk 2 hours later. This was an extract pharmacokinetic study, not a study of eating whole sprouts or foodborne illness.
Sprouts are young plants grown from seeds or beans, including alfalfa, mung bean, clover, and radish. FDA reports that raw or lightly cooked sprouts may contain bacteria, including Salmonella, Listeria, and E. coli. FDA explains that warm, humid conditions during sprouting can let bacteria grow, even when sprouts are grown at home under sanitary conditions. CDC lists cooked sprouts until steaming hot as a lower-risk choice; FSANZ names thoroughly cooked sprouts as the alternative.
What was tested
Outbreak investigations used interviews, traceback, laboratory testing, and product testing to link illness clusters to sprouts or seed lots. These reports document illness linked to particular products, but do not estimate illness risk per serving. The 2025 sulforaphane study measured compound levels in maternal blood, cord blood, placenta, urine, and milk after broccoli sprout extract doses; it did not test whole-sprout meals.
We found no disagreement between the sources checked.
- CDC lists cooked sprouts until steaming hot as the lower-risk choice compared with raw or undercooked sprouts during pregnancy. (CDC: Safer Food Choices for Pregnant Women)
- FDA advises requesting that raw sprouts not be added to restaurant or deli sandwiches and salads. (FDA: Fruits, Veggies and Juices (Food Safety for Moms-to-Be))
- FSANZ lists thoroughly cooked sprouts as the alternative to raw seed sprouts and says cooked leftovers should be refrigerated and reheated thoroughly before eating. (FSANZ: Food Safety for Vulnerable People)
- CDC says cooking sprouts thoroughly reduces illness risk and advises against eating raw or undercooked sprouts. (CDC: Salmonella Outbreak Linked to Alfalfa Sprouts, December 2022)
- FDA says not to use recalled alfalfa seed lot SAL2-24JB or sprouts grown from that lot; this warning applies to the named recall, not to all sprouts. (FDA: Outbreak Investigation of E. coli and Salmonella Linked to Sprouts, October 2026)
General research, not specific to pregnancy.
CDC reports that raw or undercooked sprouts can cause foodborne illness in the general population. Its 2022 alfalfa-sprout outbreak report recorded illnesses and hospitalizations outside a pregnancy-specific study.
- CDC reported 63 cases across 8 states and 10 hospitalizations in its 2022 Salmonella outbreak linked to alfalfa sprouts. (CDC: Salmonella Outbreak Linked to Alfalfa Sprouts, December 2022)
- FDA explains that raw or lightly cooked sprouts may contain Salmonella, Listeria, and E. coli, and that bacteria can grow during sprouting. (FDA: Selecting and Serving Produce Safely)
Experiences from moms and non-medical voices. Not medical evidence.
- CDC: Safer Food Choices for Pregnant WomenUS governmentSecondaryPage dated 2025-01-31
- FDA: Fruits, Veggies and Juices (Food Safety for Moms-to-Be)US governmentSecondary
- FDA: Selecting and Serving Produce SafelyUS governmentSecondary
- CDC: Safer Food ChoicesUS governmentSecondaryPage dated 2025-01-31
- FSANZ: Food Safety for Vulnerable PeopleSecondaryPage dated 2026-03-20Independent check
- FSANZ: Listeria in FoodSecondaryPage dated 2025-10-02Independent check
- CDC: 2016 Salmonella Outbreak Linked to Alfalfa SproutsUS governmentSecondaryPage dated 2016-02-23
- CDC: 2016 E. coli Outbreak Linked to Alfalfa SproutsUS governmentSecondaryPage dated 2016-02-25
- Harvey et al., 2017: Salmonella Outbreak Linked to Sprouted Chia Seed PowderUS governmentPrimary
- CDC: Salmonella Outbreak Linked to Alfalfa Sprouts, December 2022US governmentSecondaryPage dated 2025-01-31
- CDC: Investigation Update, E. coli and Salmonella Outbreak Linked to Alfalfa Sprouts, October 2026US governmentSecondaryPage dated 2026-10-01
- CDC: Investigation Update, Salmonella Outbreak Linked to Broccoli Sprouts, September 2026US governmentSecondaryPage dated 2026-09-24
- FDA: Outbreak Investigation of E. coli and Salmonella Linked to Sprouts, October 2026US governmentSecondaryPage dated 2026-10-01
- EFSA/ECDC: Multi-country Salmonella Outbreak Linked to Alfalfa Sprouted SeedsEU agencySecondaryPage dated 2026-06-25Independent check
- CDC: Foodborne and Waterborne Illness and BreastfeedingUS governmentSecondaryPage dated 2025-09-23
- Whalen et al., 2025: Broccoli Sprout-Derived Sulforaphane in Pregnancy and Breast MilkUS governmentPrimary
Last reviewed 2026-10-18
Independent check 2026-10-18
Not yet clinician-reviewed
Ask your provider about your situation.