Avoiding Food Poisoning: High-Risk Foods and Sources of Contamination

Any food can cause a foodborne illness. But certain foods are more likely to cause food poisoning than others. For instance, raw meat is much more likely to make you sick than boxed cereals.

According to the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA), one in six Americans suffers from food poisoning each year. The best way to avoid food poisoning is to know the risks and be diligent about food safety.

This article focuses on the types of foods most likely to cause a foodborne illness. It also discusses other factors that may cause food poisoning.

If you have gotten seriously ill after eating food from a grocery store or restaurant, you could have a legal claim for damages. Contact a product liability attorney to assess your situation and learn your legal options.

Undercooked and Raw Beef and Pork

Raw meat and undercooked meat are common causes of food poisoning. You cannot kill dangerous organisms and bacteria if you don’t thoroughly cook meats like ground beef and steak. Raw proteins are hazardous because they contain organisms capable of making you sick. These include E. coli (Escherichia coli), Salmonella, Listeria, and certain parasites.

Food preparation techniques can reduce the high risk of food poisoning from meat. The only way to kill these organisms is to cook meat to the proper temperature. For instance, cook ham and pork to at least 145 degrees Fahrenheit and beef to 160 degrees.

While some people can eat rare steak without getting sick, eating rare, medium-rare, or medium ground beef or hamburgers is much riskier. This is because whole cuts of beef (like steak) are typically contaminated only on the surface. Searing the surface of a steak—even if it’s rare—typically kills most surface bacteria. Conversely, the grinding process for ground beef mixes any surface bacteria throughout the entire batch. This means foodborne pathogens can be present in the patty, not just on the surface.

Still, it’s wise to err on the side of caution and only eat red meat that is thoroughly cooked to a safe temperature.

If you serve contaminated meat to your friends or guests, there is a good chance they’ll get sick. If this happens, they may be able to sue you for damages. Follow basic safety rules when preparing any meat.

Poultry

Poultry can cause salmonella, listeria, and campylobacter. These pathogens can remain in poultry meat even after processing and storage. Poultry includes:

• Chicken
• Turkey
• Duck
• Other fowl

Poultry is especially susceptible to salmonella contamination. Cook it thoroughly. Salmonellosis is among the most common foodborne illnesses in the U.S. You should cook raw chicken and other poultry to an internal temperature of at least 165 degrees.

Eggs

If not cooked properly, eggs can cause various foodborne illnesses. Restaurants often include a disclaimer about raw eggs on their menus.

Handle fresh eggs carefully, even those with clean and intact shells. They may contain Salmonella. Put store-bought eggs in the refrigerator and cook them until the whites and yolks are firm.

Fried eggs with runny yolks (“sunny side up”) may present more of a health risk than fried or scrambled eggs. You don’t have to refrigerate eggs you gather from a backyard chicken coop.

Cook casseroles, quiches, and other egg mixtures until the center of the dish is at least 160 degrees. Undercooked eggs can cause the following types of food poisoning:

• E.coli
• Listeria
• Salmonella
• Hepatitis A

Remember that eggs are generally safe. But you want to ensure you don’t eat or drink raw eggs or egg yolks.

Fish and Shellfish

Eating raw seafood is always a gamble. It may contain harmful bacteria, including botulism, and you can get sick if you don’t cook it properly.

That doesn’t mean you can’t eat sushi. Restaurants that serve sushi-grade fish take measures to ensure their dishes are safe. Raw fish in sushi restaurants, such as sashimi and ceviche, typically undergo rigorous testing and flash freezing. But if it doesn’t look right or smells slightly “off,” don’t eat it.

Cook fish with fins to 145 degrees. Cook shrimp, lobster, scallops, and crab until the flesh is opaque. Cook your clams, oysters, and mussels until the shells open. Some fish, such as tuna, may contain dangerous levels of mercury. Pregnant women and babies should avoid mercury because it is harmful.

Milk and Dairy Products

Milk and dairy products undergo pasteurization before going to stores. But if you drink unpasteurized milk, you can become extremely ill. Dairy products are also prone to contamination if left at room temperature for too long.

There is some controversy over the safety of raw milk. The FDA’s official stance is that companies must pasteurize milk to kill dangerous organisms. Raw milk can cause E. coli, salmonella, and listeria illness. Soft cheeses can also be dangerous. Pregnant women should avoid cheeses made from raw milk.

Some of the other dairy products that can cause foodborne illnesses include:

• Cheese
• Ice cream
• Yogurt
• Creamer
• Cottage cheese
• Sour cream
• Cream cheese

Be smart about the dairy and milk products you eat and serve your family. But if you become sick, you may have a claim for damages.

The Dangers of Cookie Dough

It is a common belief that eating cookie dough is dangerous because of the raw eggs in most recipes. But raw flour can be just as dangerous.

Most cookie doughs contain both raw eggs and raw flour. It’s not safe to eat these items raw under any conditions. Both raw eggs and raw flour can carry Salmonella and E. coli.

Other Foods That Can Make You Sick

Even if you properly prepare your meat, dairy, and poultry, you can still get food poisoning. Certain other foods are more likely to make you sick:

• Hot dogs
• Deli meats
• Contaminated water
• Leafy greens
• Raw sprouts
• Other raw foods
• Unwashed fresh fruit

You can still avoid most foodborne illness by using standard precautions.

Common Sources of Food Contamination

Food can become contaminated in several ways. Bacteria can infect food on the farm, in the kitchen, or anywhere in between if people don’t take adequate precautions when handling or preparing food.

Some of the most common sources of food contamination are described below.

Animals

Bacteria that live in the intestines of animals are responsible for many food poisoning cases. For example, E. coli typically remains in the discarded portions of the animal and never makes it to the dinner plate.

However, meat and poultry can become contaminated during slaughter if they come into contact with trace amounts of the animal’s intestinal contents.

If you wash fresh fruits and vegetables with water contaminated by animal manure or human sewage, they can also become tainted. This is why you must clean all fresh produce before you eat it.

Improper Food Handling

Another common cause of food poisoning is improper and unsafe food handling. Farm workers, cooks, servers, and other food preparers may touch food without washing their hands. For example, if a chef or waiter uses the bathroom and doesn’t wash their hands, they may contaminate food with Shigella.

Shigella is a foodborne bacteria that causes diarrhea, fever, and stomach cramps. Another illness caused by improper food handling is norovirus. Most people assume this is the familiar stomach flu. The symptoms include the following:

• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Stomach cramps
• Fever
• Upset stomach
• Abdominal pain
• Fatigue

If you have a weakened immune system or other infectious diseases, your symptoms may be more serious. For instance, some people with severe cases of foodborne illness can develop kidney disease.

If you notice these symptoms, visit your healthcare provider immediately. While your symptoms may resolve in a few days, it’s better to be safe than sorry.

Cross Contamination

Some foods are perfectly safe until they come into contact with other infected food products. For example, if you use the same utensil on uncooked shellfish and pasta, the pasta may become tainted.

Always avoid placing food on contaminated surfaces or mixing it with uncooked foods. You should also thoroughly wash cutting boards and utensils.

Cross-contamination with other raw food products can also spread germs that cause illness.

Food Preparation

In the kitchen, germs can be transferred from one food to another in various ways. For example, you can spread bacteria and other pathogens by using the same knife, cutting board, and other utensils without washing them properly between each usage.

Fully cooked foods can become re-contaminated if they touch other raw foods that contain certain germs. Food can also become dangerous if you rinse it with contaminated water.

Food Storage

It’s also essential that you store food properly. If you refrigerate foods without covering them, they can become contaminated. The same is true for food not kept refrigerated until you’re ready to eat it.

Many bacterial microbes must multiply to cause disease. Under warm and moist conditions, slightly contaminated food left out overnight can become highly infectious. Prompt refrigeration or freezing typically prevents this growth.

For example, Bacillus cereus can multiply quickly in cooked rice. It’s important to serve cooked rice immediately and refrigerate it as soon as you’re done. If you reheat leftover rice, it should be steaming hot throughout.

High salt, sugar, or acid levels also inhibit bacterial growth.

Heating Food Insufficiently

Cooking food usually destroys bacteria and other things that cause foodborne illness. Heating food to an internal temperature above 160 degrees Fahrenheit or 78 degrees Celsius, even for a few seconds, is enough to kill most bacteria, viruses, or parasites.

Toxins produced by bacteria vary in their sensitivity to heat. For instance, the toxin that causes botulism is inactivated by boiling, whereas the Staphylococcus aureus toxin isn’t. Botulism is a potentially fatal form of food poisoning that usually causes illness within 18-36 hours of exposure. Staphylococcal usually causes no disease in healthy people.

Viral and Bacterial Food Poisoning

There are two main types of food poisoning: viral and bacterial. Most food poisoning cases today involve bacterial contamination. Bacteria infect food at some point along the chain of distribution. For example, a farmer may plant their crops too close to animal waste, or the sous chef at a local restaurant may prepare food without washing their hands.

With bacterial foodborne diseases, there are three main kinds of contamination:

• E. coli
• Salmonella
• Listeria

While most food poisoning outbreaks involve bacteria, thousands of Americans develop a viral case of food poisoning yearly. The most common type of viral food poisoning is norovirus. It’s common to see this type of food poisoning in cramped places like cruise ships, dormitories, and resorts.

Some of the other less common types of food poisoning include:

• Vibrio
• Campylobacter
• Hepatitis A

What To Do if You Suspect Food Poisoning

If you think you have food poisoning, visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) website for a list of symptoms of food poisoning. This site also offers suggestions on when to see your doctor and other vital information.

Staying up-to-date on health information may help reduce the risk of food poisoning. For updates on current outbreaks, food recalls, and tips on food safety, visit foodsafety.gov.

Take Legal Action Against Tainted Food: Contact an Attorney

Attorneys handle food poisoning cases like other product liability claims. Most judges decide these cases under strict liability. The plaintiff doesn’t need to prove the grocery store or restaurant was negligent. They must only prove that the defendant provided the contaminated food that made them sick.

Consult an attorney near you for help. A local attorney can help determine your state’s laws, legal challenges, and the likelihood of success in recovering damages.

FindLaw’s directory of product liability attorneys can get you started. Select your state or city to review contact and ratings information for local experts. Your search results will also link you to additional details about the attorneys’ experience with food poisoning cases.