There is nothing worse than contracting food poisoning. The resulting nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea can last for days. Most people have mild illness and get better on their own, but sometimes food poisoning can cause severe illness and complications says the Mayo Clinic.
The best way to avoid getting food poisoning is to be careful with the following foods:
• Sprouts. According to WebMD, raw and lightly cooked sprouts have been a major source of food poisoning every year since 2006. While the seedlings are packed with antioxidants, think twice before tossing them raw into salads. It’s safer to cook the sprouts first because washing doesn’t destroy the salmonella, listeria and E. coli that may lurk within.
• Raw milk. Animal milk that hasn’t been heated or pasteurized to kill bacteria is one of the most dangerous sources of food poisoning and is illegal in many states. “Federal law prohibits the sale of unpasteurized milk across state lines, but individual state laws govern the sale of unpasteurized milk within the state. These state laws vary widely. While some states prohibit the sale of unpasteurized milk to consumers, other states allow its sale in retail stores or on the farm where the milk was produced,” explains the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
• Eggs. Salmonella-tainted eggs cause 79,000 cases of food poisoning and 30 deaths in the U.S. annually. Chickens can pass bacteria into eggs through feces. Keep eggs refrigerated at or below 40 degrees Fahrenheit for safety and cook them thoroughly. Raw eggs aren’t safe to eat if they’re unpasteurized, says the Cleveland Clinic. However, experts prefer you do not eat any eggs raw. “I’m not going to recommend anybody eat raw eggs,” says registered dietitian Beth Czerwony.
• Bagged lettuce. Salmonella and other bacteria found in irrigation water can often find their way into salad greens. Germs can multiply faster in cut greens packed in plastic bags or containers, but if the product is labeled “triple-washed,” it should be okay. Washing doesn’t always remove the bacteria, but always wash leafy greens sold in unsealed bags or containers. Use one cutting board for produce, and a separate one for raw meat, poultry, fish and seafood, advise food safety experts.
• Precut melon. Salmonella infections rise in the summer months when people enjoy watermelon, cantaloupe and honeydew melons. These fruits grow on the ground where their rind can pick up bacteria. Eating washed whole melons is best because the pre-cut varieties may harbor germs that have passed into the fruit by the rind. Precut melons can contain norovirus, listeria, and other harmful germs.
• Chicken. While chicken is our most popular choice of meat, every year a million Americans become ill after eating poultry. Pathogens such as campylobacter and salmonella can taint chicken during processing so its important to cook it thoroughly. All poultry should reach a safe minimum internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit as measured with a food thermometer. A whole chicken must reach this temperature throughout the bird. Check the internal temperature in the innermost part of the thigh and wing and the thickest part of the breast, says the United States Department of Agriculture.
• Ground beef. Undercooked hamburger patties have caused severe E. coli illness and death in hundreds of people. The nasty pathogen is found naturally in animals and humans. Cook ground beef to 160 degrees Fahrenheit.