Kroger
, the nation's largest supermarket chain, has announced it will stop
selling sprouts on Monday because of their "potential food safety risk."
It joins retail behemoth Walmart, which quietly stopped selling the
crunchy greens in 2010.
"After a thorough, science-based review, we have decided to voluntarily discontinue selling fresh sprouts," Payton Pruett, Kroger's vice president of food safety, said in a statement.
"This is big," said Marion Nestle, a professor of food safety at New York University. "This is a major retailer saying 'We aren't going to take it anymore. We can't risk harming our customers, and our suppliers are unwilling or unable to produce safe sprouts.' "
The industry's trade group expressed concern but said it was working to keep its products safe.
"We hope that the Kroger decision doesn't have a domino effect," said Bob Sanderson, president of the International Sprout Growers Association. The industry, which depends on sampling and testing to insure sprouts are not contaminated with pathogens, is working with the Food and Drug Administration and other groups to create better safety protocols.
"We're trying, but it's very challenging," Sanderson said. "These organisms can be anywhere." The industry is also working towards a "sprout-specific" food safety audit for producers.
Walmart stopped selling sprouts two years ago, in October 2010, said spokesman Kory Lundberg.
"After a thorough, science-based review, we have decided to voluntarily discontinue selling fresh sprouts," Payton Pruett, Kroger's vice president of food safety, said in a statement.
"This is big," said Marion Nestle, a professor of food safety at New York University. "This is a major retailer saying 'We aren't going to take it anymore. We can't risk harming our customers, and our suppliers are unwilling or unable to produce safe sprouts.' "
The industry's trade group expressed concern but said it was working to keep its products safe.
"We hope that the Kroger decision doesn't have a domino effect," said Bob Sanderson, president of the International Sprout Growers Association. The industry, which depends on sampling and testing to insure sprouts are not contaminated with pathogens, is working with the Food and Drug Administration and other groups to create better safety protocols.
"We're trying, but it's very challenging," Sanderson said. "These organisms can be anywhere." The industry is also working towards a "sprout-specific" food safety audit for producers.
Walmart stopped selling sprouts two years ago, in October 2010, said spokesman Kory Lundberg.
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