Sprouts are a delicious dish on our tables, however, the recent "toxic" sprout incidents have made us wary of them. As consumers, what we are most concerned about is: are the substances used in "toxic" sprouts actually safe? Can we still eat such sprouts? How can citizens avoid the "toxic zone" of sprouts?
Debunking Two Major Sprout Rumors
The so-called "toxic" sprouts mainly refer to rootless sprouts grown using plant growth regulators such as 6-benzyladenine (6-BA), 4-chlorophenoxyacetic acid sodium (4-CPA), and gibberellic acid (GA). Are they safe?
Five Tips to Avoid the "Toxic Zone" of Sprouts
Carcinogenic, teratogenic, and mutagenic effects are fabricated. Taking 6-BA and GA as examples, experimental studies have shown that their median lethal dose (LD50) in rats is both greater than 5 grams per kilogram of body weight (for salt, it is 3 grams), meaning their acute toxicity is even lower than that of salt. Moreover, there is no reliable evidence that either causes cancer, birth defects, or mutations. The rumor about them being carcinogenic circulating online is fabricated.
The claim of causing precocious puberty is unscientific. You often see reports like, "Experts claim that long-term, large consumption of these plant hormones may lead to precocious puberty in children and fertility problems in women." This claim is completely unscientific. GA is a substance that plants can produce naturally, while 6-BA and 4-CPA are synthetic plant growth regulators. However, none of them will have a "precocious puberty" effect on humans, which is like how pollen (plant sperm) cannot make a human pregnant.
Selecting Sprouts by Looking, Smelling, and Observing
Smell the sprouts: Healthy sprouts smell fresh and crisp, while sprouts with a "urea" smell are abnormal.
Look at the sprout body: Naturally grown sprouts are straight, slightly slender, with crisp, tender, and glossy white stems that are not soft. Sprouts soaked in chemical fertilizers are thick, watery, and have a grayish color.
Look at the sprout roots: Naturally grown sprouts have well-developed root systems without rotten roots or tips. Sprouts soaked in chemical fertilizers have short, few, or no roots.
Look at the beans: In naturally grown sprouts, the beans are normal, whereas in sprouts soaked in chemical fertilizers, the beans turn bluish.
To check for moisture, pinch a sprout open. Healthy sprouts have higher moisture content.