What specific growing conditions create the perfect breeding ground for harmful bacteria on sprouting seeds?

A warm, humid environment

The process required to successfully sprout seeds—which is necessary to produce alfalfa sprouts—necessitates providing growers with a warm and humid growing environment. Unfortunately, these precise environmental parameters are recognized as being the optimal conditions for the rapid proliferation and breeding of harmful bacteria that may have been carried over on the initial seed surface. This overlap between ideal sprouting conditions and ideal bacterial growth conditions is the root cause of the safety concerns. Unlike many other types of produce, sprouts cannot be grown in conditions that suppress bacterial growth without also inhibiting or preventing germination entirely, thus linking the requirement for a desirable product with a high-risk environment for pathogens.