Sprouts and microgreens: food safety first
Penn State Extension says sprouts are harvested early, with the seed and seed leaves still attached, and are often grown in water. Microgreens grow until their first true leaves appear, usually in soil or another growing medium, and are cut above it (Penn State Extension). The FDA advises children, older adults, pregnant women and people with weakened immune systems to avoid raw or lightly cooked sprouts of any kind (FDA).
Sprouts and microgreens are fast and need little space. They aren't the same thing, and sprouts carry a known food-safety risk.
How they differ
Penn State Extension says sprouts are harvested early, with the seed and seed leaves still attached, and are often grown in water. Microgreens grow until their first true leaves appear, usually in soil or another growing medium, and are cut above it (Penn State Extension).
What the FDA says about sprouts
The FDA says sprouts are grown from seeds and beans in warm, humid conditions. If just a few harmful bacteria are on the seed, they can grow to high levels during sprouting, even when you grow sprouts at home under sanitary conditions. It advises children, older adults, pregnant women and people with weakened immune systems to avoid raw or lightly cooked sprouts of any kind (FDA).
UConn's food safety program and Virginia Cooperative Extension give the same advice, with more detail (UConn, Virginia Cooperative Extension).
We don't give food-safety advice of our own. Follow those sources and the seed seller's instructions.
Gear
Microgreen trays, sprouting kits and seed are in microgreen and sprouting kits.