蔥蒜發芽還能吃嗎？這些食物不應久放

Many people encounter sprouting of fruits, vegetables or rootstocks when cooking or storing ingredients and wonder, "Can I still eat sprouted food? While some ingredients are still safe to eat after sprouting, others may produce toxins and pose health hazards once they have sprouted or deteriorated. Knowing which ingredients are safe to eat after sprouting and which should be avoided is an important piece of knowledge to ensure dietary safety.

4 Ingredients That Are Safe to Eat Even After Sprouting

1. Sprouted spices:onionGarlic,ginger

Even if these common spices germinate, they do not produce toxins that are harmful to the human body. As long as they are kept in good conditions and are not mouldy or rotten, sprouting is a natural phenomenon and they can still be consumed, although their flavour may change slightly after sprouting.

2. sprouts: alfalfa sprouts, pea shoots, soybean sprouts, mung bean sprouts

These ingredients are made through the sprouting process, and instead of producing toxins, sprouting increases the fibre content and even the nutritional value, making it a common and quality choice for a healthy diet and can be consumed without fear.

3. partially sprouted rhizomes: taro, radish, groundnuts

The edible parts of these three common rhizome ingredients (e.g. taro, radish and groundnut tubers) are still safe to eat even if they have sprouted, as long as there is no obvious rotting or mould. In addition, their sprouted leaves, such as taro, radish and groundnut leaves, are common vegetables that can be stir-fried or boiled in soups, making them nutritious and tasty.

5 Ingredients Not Recommended for Consumption after Sprouting or Spoilage

1. Sprouted potatoes

When potatoes are sprouted, especially around the eye of the sprout and the outer skin, a toxic alkaloid called "lobelia" is produced, which may cause acute poisoning symptoms such as dizziness, headache, nausea, vomiting, etc., and in serious cases, may even be life-threatening; therefore, consumption of sprouted potatoes should be avoided.

2. Unripe tomatoes

Green or semi-ripe tomatoes that are not fully ripe contain lobelia, a natural toxin with corrosive and haemolytic properties. Consumption of large quantities of these tomatoes may cause itching in the throat, heartburn, gastrointestinal discomfort and other toxic reactions. Therefore, it is safer to choose fully ripe and red tomatoes.

3. insufficiently pickled sauerkraut or pickled vegetables

Home-made or commercially available pickles may contain excessive nitrite if consumed when insufficiently salted or pickled for less than 8 days, which may lead to nitrite poisoning with symptoms such as headache, vomiting, abdominal pain, etc. Therefore, it is important to check whether they are adequately pickled before consumption. Therefore, it is important to check whether sauerkraut is adequately pickled before consumption.

4. Cabbage with black spots

When black spots appear on the surface of cabbages, especially when they are accompanied by discolouration at the edges and lack of water and dryness, they may be caused by mould growth or rotting due to prolonged storage. This type of cabbage not only loses nutrients, but may also cause adverse health effects, so it is recommended not to consume it.

5. internally spoiled pumpkin

Although pumpkins can be preserved for a longer period of time because of their hard outer skin, they may still spoil under humid and hot conditions. If the flesh of the pumpkin turns black, soft or even smells like fermented lees after cutting, it means that the pumpkin has deteriorated and should not be consumed to avoid gastrointestinal discomfort.
Whether or not sprouting or spoiling of food ingredients affects food safety depends on the specific items. For example, onions, ginger, garlic, sprouts and some rhizome ingredients are still safe to eat after sprouting, and may even have more nutritional value. However, potatoes, unripe tomatoes, under-pickled sauerkraut, black-spotted cabbages, and internally decayed pumpkins may produce toxins or bacteria after sprouting or deterioration, which may pose health hazards when consumed. When storing and preparing ingredients, the public is advised to observe the appearance, smell and texture of the ingredients, and to choose fresh and non-deteriorated ingredients for a safe and healthy diet.