Many people, when they see our product immediately think “sprouts.” There is a difference, though. Sprouts and microgreens may start out close to the same, but the end product is quite different.
Sprouting seeds require a high humidity environment, a condition that encourages bacteria growth. Sprouts are usually grown to produce a stem and roots without any leaves, much as a plant does before it breaks the soil surface to start growing.
In fact, Foodsafety.gov, run by the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services reports at least 30 cases of foodborne illness associated with sprouts in the past 20 years.
Microgreens, on the other hand are grown in soil or another growing medium such as coconut coir, hemp, or synthetic growth medium. They are grown until they produce their first or “cotyledon” leaves. The plant now has the flavor characteristics of the mature plant, but many times the flavor is more intense and the nutritional density is at its highest.
Our microgreens are grown using a coconut coir pad and double filtered water, no soil, fertilizer or pesticides. They are produced in our climate-controlled grow room using Good Agricultural Practices (GAP). The trays we use for growing are NSF certified food safe, not the black plastic nursery trade trays that some growers use.
