Final answer:
High-risk establishments such as schools and hospitals should avoid serving raw seed sprouts to protect vulnerable populations from foodborne illnesses like E. coli and Salmonella. Raw sprouts are particularly susceptible to contamination and have been responsible for serious outbreaks. Cooking sprouts is recommended to ensure their safety for consumption.
Step-by-step explanation:
Establishments that cater to populations at high risk for foodborne illnesses, such as hospitals, schools, and senior care facilities should not serve raw seed sprouts. These foods, including raw vegetables like lettuce, and raw sprouts, have been linked to outbreaks of bacterial infections like E. coli and Salmonella. The risk is particularly significant with raw sprouts because the warm, humid conditions required to grow sprouts are ideal for the rapid growth of bacteria.
Contaminated water or inadequate sanitization can contribute to the contamination of sprouts, making them unsafe to consume without cooking. Further, produce like sprouts can be a source of infection even when grown under organic and controlled conditions, as seen in the 2011 E. coli outbreak in Germany. In that outbreak, the strain of E. coli O104:H4 produced Shiga toxin, causing serious health complications like bloody diarrhea and potential kidney failure.
Because individuals with weakened immune systems, older adults, young children, and pregnant women are more susceptible to the effects of foodborne illnesses, it is especially important for establishments serving these groups to avoid foods at high risk of contamination, including raw seed sprouts.