Foodborne illness can really ruin your day. It’s just not a very good feeling to come back from your favorite restaurant, only to have to head to the bathroom immediately. And the end through which your meal has decided to make its sudden exit is irrelevant. There are 10 foods in particular, which pose the most risk: eggs, deli meat, cucumbers, onions, raw milk/cheese, cotija and queso fresco cheese, leafy Greens, organic carrots, organic basil, cooked poultry, and meat. If these foods are not handled properly, one could easily contract foodborne illness, such as Salmonella, E. coli, and Listeria.
Salmonella, E. coli, and Listeria – How Bad Are They?
Foodborne illness is bad, but how bad? Salmonella alone affects about 1.35 million people per year, causing severe diarrhea, stomach cramps, and nausea that usually occur a few hours after eating contaminated food. Salmonella eats away at the very lining of your intestines. You ate some bad food, and now the bacteria from that food are trying to eat you! That’s why your body is in such a hurry to get rid of it, by any means possible. Usually, that means diarrhea and vomiting. Others, however, might have the misfortune of this foodborne illness reaching their bloodstream, necessitating a trip to the hospital.
While some foodborne illnesses present symptoms within hours, E. coli foodborne illness symptoms may not appear for 3 to 5 days. That means you can eat at the low-budget buffet everyone warned you about and think you survived just fine, only to be hit by the E. coli freight train several days after the fact. And when it hits you, it really hits you. You’re hit with bloody diarrhea, stomach cramps, and a feverish mind, as you struggle to figure out what the heck just happened. E. coli has even been known to shut down people’s kidneys. It’s a challenge to stay hydrated when everything you drink comes right back up.
Listeriosis from foodborne illness, fortunately, is less frequent. As it turns out, the human immune system is usually strong enough to stop this foodborne illness before it poses a problem. But if, for whatever reason, this particular batch slips past our natural defenses, it can really wreak some havoc. And if unchecked, it can even damage the brain and spinal cord. That’s why it is essential to treat severe infections immediately — usually with a strong antibiotic to kill this nasty bacterium as quickly as possible.
How do Foods Become Contaminated?
Ok, we’ve learned how disastrous foodborne illness can be — so how does food become contaminated? Typically, contamination occurs during food preparation. Listeria, for example, is known to pose a problem for deli meats. This is due to how these deli meats are prepared on meat slicers. These slicers come into regular contact with meats and cheeses, and if they are not cleaned regularly, they can become giant bacterial farms.
If fears of listeria on your deli meat weren’t bad enough, E. coli can be carried on meat, veggies, and dairy products. Another regular offender is Salmonella. Both of these bacteria often originate from animal waste. The idea of animal waste is unsettling, and might make one wonder, What the heck, did some animal crap on my food? Well, not exactly.
10 Riskiest Foods for Foodborne Illness–What’s the Risk?
Now that we have covered the who, what, when, and where, let’s focus specifically on what can be done about each one of these 10 risky foods.
Eggs
Salmonella contamination can occur both on the outside as well as inside of an egg. Even so, you should never try to wash the outside of the eggshell, since this could simply spread any surface contamination and make the risk of foodborne illness even worse. The real key to making your eggs contaminant-free is to cook them well. Even if you like your eggs a little runny, if you are serious about preventing foodborne illness, you had better cook them until they are well done.
Deli Meat
Listeria poses a real risk to people with weakened immune systems. If you fall into that category, the best thing you can do is simply avoid deli meat entirely, since it is especially vulnerable to this kind of foodborne illness. Otherwise, you might have to cook your cold cuts at a high temperature (at least 165 degrees) to kill any bacteria on their surface.
Cucumbers
Salmonella is often present on cucumbers. This is due to trace amounts of animal waste that can get onto cucumbers through shared water and soil. Always rinse cucumbers thoroughly to avoid contamination and foodborne illness.
Onions
Similar to cucumbers, onions have been the focal point of E. coli outbreaks due to contaminated soil and water. Runoff from livestock can contaminate the surface of onions. The best way to avoid E. coli-induced foodborne illness is to take off the surface layer of the onion and then rinse the rest of the onion thoroughly before preparing and eating it.
Raw Milk/Cheese
Raw milk is dangerous because it comes straight from the animal and may harbor bacteria such as E. coli. In order to prevent foodborne illness, milk should always go through the process of pasteurization, which involves heating it up to at least 161 degrees to kill harmful bacteria. The same goes for cheese. If your cheese is not made from pasteurized milk, don’t eat it.
Cotija and Queso Fresco Cheese
As risky as cheese made from raw milk might be, so-called soft cheeses like cojita and queso fresco can often be just as bad. This is due to the high water content and low acidity of this risky food, which creates an environment conducive to Listeria. If you have a weak immune system, it is recommended that you avoid these food items entirely.
Leafy Greens
Leafy greens are yet another food prone to contamination due to water runoff containing animal waste. Leafy greens such a spinach and lettuce are notorious for being contaminated with E. coli due to trace amounts of animal waste. Be sure to rinse off your veggies and remove the outer layer of lettuce heads while you are at it.
Organic Carrots
Organic carrots are prone to bacterial contamination with E. coli in the fields where they grow and in the warehouses where they are processed. To avoid foodborne illness, it is recommended that you cook organic carrots before eating them.
Organic Basil
Salmonella has been found in organic basil, and like other foodborne illnesses, this contamination is usually due to contamination from the soil. As such, it is always best to thoroughly rinse off organic basil before consumption.
Cooked Poultry and Meat
Listeria has been found on pre-cooked poultry and other meats, leading to past recalls. Even if poultry and meat have been prepared and cooked ahead of time, such as in a frozen meal, frozen burrito, chicken nuggets, or the like, they should always be thoroughly reheated before eating.
Final Thought
In summary, these 10 risky foods should be properly prepared before consumption or avoided entirely. So, here’s to your health–and to a (hopefully) bacteria-free rest of your week!
