Post Punk Kitchen Forum

I just had my first success with home made sprouts (lentils) which I am so happy about, because I love sprouts and they are so stupidly expensive at the store. Should I be worried about a higher risk of contamination? I mean, I sprouted them in a clean jar. Anyone had a problem with them? I really don't want to go store bought..with making my own, I eat them everyday. With store bought I pretty much never get them, because they're too expensive.

I think that if you follow basic hygiene, use a clean sprouting jar, and eat your sprouts promptly, you should be safe.

My own personal belief is that store-bought sprouts are much riskier, because the sprouts potentially come into contact with many more (unclean) hands, are exposed to more (contaminated) water sources, and are older than those raised in your home environment.

My experience only: I have been using a plastic perforated sprouter which is less hygienic than your method and I have eaten lentil spouts everyday for the past 4 years...never had a problem at all. My thoughts are if you wash it well, don't contaminated it while it is in the sprouting phase, you shouldn't have a problem; chances of picking up salmonella from a store is far higher in my opinion because of all the opportunities for contamination.

btw...spouts keep in tupperware in the fridge for a week easily as long as they are relatively dry when they go in.

I beleive they are liklier to be safe coming from your home, too. If you are worried, I have heard that if you use distilled water, it really ensures you will have no seed molding or other possible issues. I don't get those problems with my chickpea and buckwheat and other sprouts because I just keep a close watch on them and now have learned when they have to be eaten and are done sprouting.