Warning issued over alfalfa sprouts

An Associated Press story reports that US federal health officials last week renewed warnings about raw alfalfa sprouts, stating that they could be contaminated with salmonella or E. coli bacteria. According to the report sprouts should be thoroughly cooked to kill the bacteria, and some people should stay away altogether, the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention said. The Food and Drug Administration warned Americans four years ago not to eat raw alfalfa, clover and other sprouts after hundreds of reports of bacteria-related illnesses. The new warning came after a CDC investigation of a salmonella outbreak that sickened 32 people last year in California, Arizona, Colorado and New Mexico. The outbreak was traced to a batch of raw alfalfa sprouts. The CDC said even washed sprouts need to be fully cooked to kill any bacteria. People at higher risk for sickness - children, the elderly and the chronically ill - should avoid them altogether.