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          Guidance for Industry: Reducing Microbial Food Safety Hazards in the Production of Seed for SproutingSearch for FDA Guidance Documents GUIDANCE DOCUMENT
	Guidance for Industry: Reducing Microbial Food Safety Hazards in the Production of Seed for Sprouting
					
		
		May 2022


	Download the  Final Guidance Document
	    
      	      		Read the Federal Register Notice 

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    PrintDocket Number:
		    FDA-2018-D-4534
	    	    		    Issued by:
		    Guidance Issuing Office
          Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition


This guidance document is intended to inform the sprout seed industry (seed growers, conditioners, packers, holders, suppliers, and distributors) of FDA’s serious concern with the continuing outbreaks of foodborne illness associated with the consumption of raw and lightly-cooked sprouts and to provide our recommendations to firms throughout the production chain of seed for sprouting. Throughout this guidance document, we refer to everything that can be sprouted, including beans, as “seeds.”

The contents of this document do not have the force and effect of law and are not meant to bind the public in any way, unless specifically incorporated into a contract. This document is intended only to provide clarity to the public regarding existing requirements under the law. FDA guidance documents, including this guidance, should be viewed only as recommendations, unless specific regulatory or statutory requirements are cited. The use of the word *should* in FDA guidances means that something is suggested or recommended, but not required.

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Related Information

Multistate Outbreak of Salmonella Infections Linked to Alfalfa Sprouts from One Contaminated Seed Lot
	FDA Investigated Multistate Outbreak of Salmonella Infections Linked to Alfalfa Sprouts
	CPG Sec. 555.750 Seeds for Sprouting Prior to Food Use, i.e., Dried Mung Beans, Alfalfa Seeds, Etc.
	Additional Produce GuidanceSubmit Comments
	   		  			    		Submit Comments Online
					You can submit online or written comments on any guidance at any time (see 21 CFR 10.115(g)(5))
						If unable to submit comments online, please mail written comments to:
						Dockets Management
							Food and Drug Administration
							5630 Fishers Lane, Rm 1061
							Rockville, MD 20852
						All written comments should be identified with this document's docket number: FDA-2018-D-4534.

                                                                                  Content current as of:
      05/13/2022
         
                  
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