I've heard you shouldn't leave seeds in water for more than three days. This is how I've had most success popping seeds: soaking in a cup of water for three days then planting. Usually by that point, there's the tip of a taproot emerging from the seed, but there is often that cloudy stuff around the seeds. Not sure what it is, whether it's good or bad, but it's there and hasn't seemed to affect the seeds/seedlings. And just to add my two cents, telling the seed place they sent crushed seeds is lying. If nothing else, its bad karma.
Good luck!