Food poisoning and the Top 10 riskiest foods
The most likely foods that can make you ill are often the healthiest foods. We are encouraged to eat more healthy foods during a time when those foods may be the riskiest to consume. According to the Center for Science and the Public Interest (CSPI) study, during 1990-2006 these 10 foods accounted for 40 percent of all food-borne outbreaks. Even though these food are regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) 50,000 illnesses were reported. Federal officials estimate that for every salmonella poisoning report, 38 cases go unreported.
It is often difficult to track outbreaks back to the source point because so many processing centers take in produce from a variety of markets. There is a push to buy local because of this. More and more communities have Farmer’s Markets where you can buy locally grown food.
Causes of food borne illnesses or food poisoning can come from harmful bacteria, viruses, toxins, parasites and contaminants such as, E. coli, Norovirus or Salmonella, Botulism, Campylobacter, Vibrio Infections, Listeria, Hepatitis A, B. cereus and Staphyloccus.
Ten riskiest foods
- Leafy greens include romaine, iceberg lettuce, spinach, cabbage and spring mix
- Eggs
- Tuna
- Oysters
- Potatoes used in potato salad that is served in delis or restaurants
- Cheese
- Ice cream
- Tomatoes
- Sprouts
- Berries
What can you do?
Clean: Wash surfaces and hands often
Separate: Don’t cross contaminate, for example, don’t use the plate that the raw chicken is on to serve the cooked chicken.
Cook: Learn to cook to proper temperature
Chill: Refrigerate promptly
To learn about food recalls, alerts and much more about food safety, go to: http://foodsafety.gov/
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