These foods are the most likely to give you food poisoning
Photo by wenping wang on Unsplash

When I travel, one of my biggest concerns is staying healthy, so naturally I’m always careful about what I eat. I’ve only had food poisoning about five times in my life, including three times on the road (Mexico, Washington, DC, and I can’t even remember the third destination; that’s how much I’ve blacked it out). All came from eating food at nice hotels or restaurants, which is sort of ironic considering how much street food I’ve eaten in my life.

You can’t avoid the risk of food poisoning entirely, but there are foods that are more likely to cause you trouble. For a recent story, Reader’s Digest consulted with food safety experts on the subject of food poisoning, which the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention say affects one in six Americans every year. The story lists 14 foods that are most likely than most to give you food poisoning, starting with the below:

Sunny-side-up eggs

“What’s not to love about an oozy egg, especially over biscuits and gravy or a corned beef hash? Potential salmonella infection, that’s what. Salmonella is among the most common causes of food poisoning—and it can turn up in your egg courtesy of an infected laying hen.

“How to avoid food poisoning: The risk is relatively rare, but if you’re feeding little kids, the elderly, or anyone with a compromised immune system, cook the egg thoroughly to kill off any dangerous bacteria. Opt for hard-boiled, thoroughly scrambled, or over-well eggs. Another option, says Francisco Diez-Gonzalez, PhD, professor and director of the Center for Food Safety at the University of Georgia in Griffin, is pasteurized eggs. The U.S. Department of Agriculture has created Ask Karen, a service that allows you to submit questions about eggs, meat, and poultry and get a response any time of the day or night.”

Sprouts

“The sultry environment needed for a seed to sprout and grow is also the condition of choice for bacteria. “The contamination happens typically in the seed, and when it starts to sprout the bacterial cells also get inside the plant, so washing the surface may not necessarily help,” says Dr. Diez-Gonzalez.

“How to prevent food poisoning: As of yet, there’s no 100-percent foolproof way for rendering sprouts pathogen-free. Your safest bet is to cook them before eating them, or skipping them altogether. Don’t miss these 10 food poisoning myths you can safely ignore.”

For the full list of 14 foods, see the RD story here.

 

 

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