WineLovers Discussion Group

I had no idea that spices were contaminated with salmonella:
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/28/world ... .html?_r=0
15% of coriander samples had salmonella, which is incredible to me since it't's a fibrous seed. How does it get contaminated? I've used freshly ground cumin from the Indian market on goat cheese balls, but now I think I will microwave it before I use it raw.

wnissen wrote:I had no idea that spices were contaminated with salmonella:
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/28/world ... .html?_r=0
15% of coriander samples had salmonella, which is incredible to me since it't's a fibrous seed. How does it get contaminated? I've used freshly ground cumin from the Indian market on goat cheese balls, but now I think I will microwave it before I use it raw.

I'm not an expert on this but I believe that salmonella is in the water that waters the plants. I recall something about farming practices being mentioned one time where there were animals grazing near water that runs off into the ground or into nearby ditches which eventually finds its way into the plants we consume. Floods contaminate water supplies, too. I think India has the highest rate of salmonella in foods. So when using those types of spices they need to be cooked at a high heat to kill the bacteria.

did you also know that when walking your dog in your neighborhood, you should never let your dog drink water along the side of the road or in puddles or ditches? We have a neighbor who lost his beloved family dog after drinking water in a puddle.

Maybe that's why we have always to advised to cook our curries either home mixed or bought in oil before proceeding with other ingredients.

India has a terrible record where food safety laws and enforcement is concerned. But, this is the first time I have heard about salmonella in dried spices. 15% is a scary statistic. I guess, I too will avoid using the spices uncooked! Thank you for the article wnissen.
-Shaji