Paul Kierstead wrote:
Assuming (possibly incorrectly) that the salmonella is not *in* the seed, one would think it is too dry of an environment for it to survive. Perhaps only if you use fresh spices? I'm willing to bet the stuff they sell in stores here has its salmonella long since dead. Or perhaps spices is not as dry as I think.
I've often wondered about this with sprouts, since salmonella does not form spores, and sprouts start off dry. I guess in commercial establishments (or homes, for that matter!) anything can be dirty, and and spread things like this even where you wouldn't expect it, but that wouldn't explain dried spices, unless, as you stated, they aren't as dry as we think.