6 Dangerous Food Safety Mistakes
6 Things You Shouldn’t Eat to Avoid Food Poisoning
While trying to be healthy, it is important to know the foods you should not eat as well as the foods you should eat. While there are many unhealthy foods, some outrank others in terms of their health hazards.
Bill Marler who is the lawyer, who sued an American food chain restaurant after the E. coli and norovirus outbreaks, explained which foods he eliminated from his diet. Here are six foods that the lawyer took out of his life after his experiences:
1. Raw oysters
Marler said he has seen more foodborne illnesses related to shellfish in the past five years than in the previous two decades. The culprit: the warming waters. As global waters warm, these oysters, which collapse into those who consume raw oysters, show microbial growth.
2. Pre-cut or pre-prepared fruit and vegetables
Marler says he avoids them “like the plague.” Ready-made things can be nice, but she says it’s not worth the risk as the more people touch and process food means more chances for germs.
3. Raw Brussels Sprouts
Brussels Sprouts outbreaks are a surprisingly common epidemic with more than 30 bacteria over the past two decades, especially Salmonella and E. coli. “Many outbreaks have occurred because of not paying attention to the risk of contamination of cabbage,” Marler said. He added, “These are just products I’ve never eaten.”
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4. Undercooked meat
According to the expert, the meat should be cooked to 160 degrees (to kill bacteria that can cause E. coli or Salmonella).
5. Uncooked eggs
For anyone who remembers the Salmonella epidemic of the 1980s and early ’90s, this is a no-brainer. According to Marler, the risk of food poisoning from raw eggs is much lower today than it was 20 years ago, but he still has no chance of consuming it himself.
6. Unpasteurized milk and juices
A growing movement encourages people to drink “raw” milk and juices, arguing that pasteurization reduces nutritional value. Marler says pasteurization isn’t dangerous, but raw beverages can be risky, as skipping safety steps means an increased risk of contamination with bacteria, viruses and parasites.
“There is not enough benefit worth risking by choosing to consume a product that has been made safe to drink by pasteurization raw,” he says.
