Bean sprouts are a well-known (sprout) vegetable from the Chinese and Indonesian cuisine and are used, for example, in spring rolls. They are actually the sprouts of beans, originally the green bean, also called mung or mung bean. This bean is native to South Asia. Bean sprouts are crunchy and have a slightly nutty flavor.
Bean sprouts are also called soy sprouts or soy sprouts because the sprouts of soybeans are also sold as bean sprouts. This bean sprouts are a bit more yellow in color and consist of longer sprouts. Bean sprouts are a healthy, protein-rich vegetable and also contain a lot of vitamins B and C and minerals, including potassium, magnesium, calcium and phosphorus.
The production of bean sprouts
The principle of producing bean sprouts is simple. The beans are pre-germinated in water in daylight. Then the germs continue to grow in the dark (so that they do not turn green) until they are large enough. On average, it takes 7 days for the bean sprouts to be ready. It is quite possible to grow bean sprouts and similar sprouts at home. Special grow kits are available for this, but it can also be placed in, for example, a regular jam jar. The sprout seeds are available at most garden centers.
The professional bean sprouts growers use production cells in which conditions such as temperature and humidity are automatically controlled. These growing conditions are unfortunately also perfect for many bacteria. Hence, careful hygiene measures are observed during production and everything (including the sprout seeds) is thoroughly disinfected at every production cycle.
How to use bean sprouts
The fresh sprouts are crunchy and juicy. Bean sprouts do not keep for a long time (up to 5 days in the refrigerator) and then quickly turn brownish. Bean sprouts should be washed thoroughly in cold water prior to preparation to, among other things, rinse away the remaining seed skins. Then usually briefly boil or stir-fry. In many stir-fried dishes a combination is made with, for example, onion and garlic. Ginger also goes well with the taste of bean sprouts. Besides the well-known use of bean sprouts in loepias, there are also various applications in fish and chicken dishes and soups. Although bean sprouts are perfectly edible uncooked, it is not recommended to do so!
Bacteria in bean sprouts
Bean sprouts can contain bacteria, of which salmonella in particular is known. It is therefore advisable to always immerse bean sprouts equally well in boiling water. It is suspected that locally grown bean sprouts are the cause of the EHEC contamination in Germany in 2011, which resulted in several deaths [4]. Note that in 2007 in Canada warned about the risks of uncooked sprouts in connection with the risk of bacteria such as E.coli (which also includes EHEC) or salmonella [3].
Finally
Bean sprouts are and will remain a very healthy and tasty vegetable, which can be used in various recipes. A safe and well-controlled production process can be assumed, supplemented by proper preparation (short cooking) to prevent contamination with unwanted bacteria.