After answering the question on Tahini and cholesterol, I was surprised with another recurrent question on whether Sesame Seeds and Tahini can contain Salmonella!!
Salmonella Overview
Salmonella is a bacterium that causes infection. Salmonella invades the small intestine and the colon and grows, multiplies and get to other organs. Symptoms usually appear 12–72 hours after infection. They are characterized by fever, abdominal pain, diarrhea (may cause severe dehydration), nausea and sometimes vomiting. Generally it lasts 4–7 days, and most people get well without treatment.
Special cases such as the young, elderly and bacteria enter the bloodstream, require antibiotics. Infected individuals can carry and shed Salmonella for months. Infected persons can show no symptoms but carry and spread the organism (such as the case of the Typhoid Marry incident, of the cook Marry Mellon).
Getting back to the question about Tahini, Sesame Seeds and Salmonella; Tahini and sesame seeds can get contaminated with Salmonella!!
How??
Growing sesame seeds crops can be exposed to this bacterium from many sources such as soil, manure, irrigation water, wild birds and animals. Seeds may also become contaminated during the drying process. If the seeds are infected thus, there’s a high risk that the Tahini produced also contains the bacteria; not forgetting the risk of contamination if processing was not well controlled and properly monitored. Thus, illness can be prevented for ready-to-eat seeds by hygienic manufacturing applications in the field, during harvesting and during processing of seeds.
Moreover, some types of Salmonella are not only seen in sesame seeds but also in peanuts; that in turn lead to contaminated peanut butter, crackers, cookies etc. made with those peanuts/peanut products.
Don’t be scared just be Alert!!
Don’t get scared!! This post was meant to answer the question whether it’s possible for Salmonella to be present in sesame seeds and Tahini; yet it’s always good to be alert, take precautions!! If you lack the expertise/knowledge don’t hesitate to ask!! It’s your right!!
