Food Most likely to cause food poisoning 

Some foods may contain germs that can make you sicker than others.

These foods include:

• Raw and undercooked foods of animal origin, including meat, chicken and other poultry, eggs, milk (uncooked) and its products, and seafood.

Raw vegetables, grains and fruits or products made from them, including green leaves, sprouts and flour.

 Although these foods tend to contain more harmful bacteria than others, any food can be contaminated throughout the production process, including through contamination from the kitchen

1. Chicken

Chicken
is America’s no 1 meat. And every year, about a million of us get sick
after eating chicken. Like all animals, chickens have bacteria in their
gut. Diseases such as Campylobacter and Salmonella can attack birds
during processing and packaging, spread to cutting boards and your
utensils. Do not wash raw chicken as it can cotaminate your kitchen.
Cooking food at the right temperature kills bacteria. 

2. Pre cut melon 

Each
year, 1.35 million people in the United States contract salmonella.
Almost 27,000 people are in hospital. Epidemics are common in summer,
when most of us eat watermelon, cantaloupe and honeydew mellon. Vines
grow on the ground, where the bark can trap germs. Their surface can be
difficult to cut. Cantaloupes that are cut prematurely can carry
norovirus, listeria and other harmful organisms. Washed whole mellons
are best. Put the fresh fruit in the refrigerator or put it on ice.

Read also:DIFFERENT TYPES OF FOOD CONTAMINATION AND HOW TO AVOID THEM IN YOUR PRODUCTION LINE

3. Oysters

Eating
fresh oysters straight from the shell can be a delicious treat. These
molluscs get their food from coastal waters through their gills. They
capture viruses and bacteria in the same way. Eating contaminated raw
oysters can lead to vibriosis, which causes diarrhea, vomiting, fever
and chills in more than 80,000 Americans each year. You can also
contract norovirus, which is sometimes called the “stomach flu.” The
only good way to enjoy oysters is by cooking them.

4. Raw milk cheese
 
Soft
milk cheese is more dangerous than pasteurized cheese. You are 160
times more likely to get listeria from queso fresco, feta, brie,
Camembert, and blue cheeses like Roquefort. Listeria can spread beyond
your intestines and cause headaches, loss of balance and seizures. It
can also lead to pregnancy, childbirth, or stillbirth. And your baby can
get listeria from you. 

5. Ground beef

 E.
coli became a household name in the early 1990s, when more than 700
adults and children became ill from undercooked hamburger patties sold
by a fast food chain. Four people died. E. coli remains one of the
leading causes of food poisoning. Bacteria are found in humans and
animals. Cook steaks and meat to 145 F indoors. Beef and pork should
reach 160 F to be good. 

6. Hot dogs

These
ballpark foods must be cooked. Americans eat 20 billion of them every
year. But they can collect listeria when the package is used. To avoid
illness, a hot dog should be just that: hot. Always warm before eating.

7. Sprout

These are ripe seeds. Raw and undercooked sprouts, especially clover and alfalfa, have been the cause of food poisoning in many states every year. The same warm, humid conditions that breed bacteria also encourage salmonella, listeria, and E. coli. You may be tempted to toss these antioxidant-rich fresh herbs into salads and sandwiches. But it is better to cook the sprout first. Washing will not kill germs.

8. Raw Milk 

It is one of the most dangerous foodborne illnesses and is illegal in some states. This is milk that has not been heated or pasteurized to kill bacteria. Milk can carry E. coli, listeria, campylobacter and salmonella. They can cause diarrhea that lasts for days, vomiting and serious illnesses such as Guillain-Barré syndrome that can lead to paralysis. Check your milk container to make sure it’s pasteurized, especially at farmers markets.

Read also:TOP 10 FOOD SAFETY PROBLEMS AND SOLUTIONS

9. Eggs

Each year, salmonella-contaminated eggs cause 79,000 cases of food poisoning in the United States and 30 deaths. Chickens can transmit salmonella to eggs before the shell begins. The bacteria can also be transmitted to eggs from poultry droppings. Refrigerate at 40 F or less. Some products and recipes require raw eggs. Use pasteurized eggs (they’re hard to find) or make your own by placing the eggs in 140 F water sous vide for at least 3½ minutes. Eggs can thicken slightly. 

10. Flour

You probably shouldn’t put a spoon into the dough to eat it. But what about cookie dough or cake batter? It is rare, but flour can be contaminated with E. coli during harvesting, milling and polishing. Blanching flour will not kill E. coli, which can cause bloody diarrhea, vomiting and even kidney failure and death. Boxed bread mixes and prepared cookie dough can also be contaminated.

11. Bagged lettuce
 
Fresh salad is another major cause of food poisoning. But figuring out why can be tricky. Some outbreaks are linked to certain types of green vegetables, usually romaine lettuce and spinach, or to certain growers or packers. Salmonella and other bacteria can be found in water, soil, or dirty human hands. Germs multiply in the juice of the cut leaves and can enter the bag. They can stick to paper even after washing.

12. An invisible threat
 
You
can suffer from food poisoning 20 minutes to 6 days after your meal.
The last thing you ate doesn’t always make you sick. To avoid foodborne
illness, eat them well. It sends 128,000 people to the hospital every
year. Always wash hands and surfaces, separate food to avoid
contamination, and keep hot food and cold items. You can’t see or smell
germs and bacteria the same way you can see or smell spoiled food.