Food guide
Raw Sprouts
Raw sprouts - alfalfa, bean, mung, clover, radish - should not be given to children under 5. The warm, humid conditions that sprout the seeds are also ideal for salmonella, E. coli and listeria, and because the bacteria get inside the seed before it sprouts, washing cannot remove them. Cooked until steaming hot they are fine.
How to serve at this age
0-5 years: Not recommended raw, including sprouts grown at home. Cooked, at any age from 6 months: sprouts stir-fried or simmered until steaming hot, then finely chopped and mixed into soft food.
Nutrition
A source of vitamin C, folate and fibre, but in the small amounts a child eats the nutritional contribution is minor - not worth the food-poisoning risk raw.
A note from the editors
Home-grown sprouts are no safer than shop-bought - the bacteria come from inside the seed. Cooking is the only thing that makes them safe.
Good to know
Never serve raw sprouts to a child under 5. Cook them until steaming hot, then chop finely - the long, stringy shoots are also a choking hazard for babies.