Food Safety Experts Would Never Eat These 6 Foods—And You Shouldn’t Either
We all want to keep our families healthy and safe, but some common kitchen traditions carry risks that aren't worth taking. Food safety experts spend their careers studying how bacteria spread and how people can get sick from what they eat. There are some foods that experts will stay away from due to their higher level of risk.
Learning which foods to avoid helps you make smarter and safer choices for your household.
Raw cookie dough and cake batter
Most people worry about raw eggs when licking batter off of the spoon, but the uncooked flour is often the bigger threat. Flour is a raw agricultural product that is not treated to kill bacteria like E. coli during the milling process.
These germs are only destroyed during the baking stage. You should wait until your treats are fully cooked before enjoying a bite to avoid any potential infection.
Stuffing cooked in the bird
Cooking stuffing inside a turkey or chicken is a risky practice because the bread acts as a sponge for raw juices. To kill all bacteria, the center of the stuffing must reach 165 degrees.
Often, the meat is overcooked by the time the stuffing is safe. It's much safer to bake your dressing in a separate dish to ensure everything is thoroughly heated.
Unwashed leafy greens
Even if a bag of lettuce says it's pre-washed, experts still recommend giving your greens a thorough rinse at home. Pathogens can linger on the surface of leaves from the soil or the handling process.
Washing your produce under cold running water helps to remove dirt and reduce the amount of bacteria present.
Raw sprouts
Sprouts like alfalfa or mung beans are grown in warm and humid conditions that are perfect for bacterial growth. Because the seeds themselves can be contaminated, the bacteria get trapped inside the plant as it grows.
Washing them is rarely enough to make them completely safe to eat raw. You should always cook sprouts thoroughly to kill any hidden pathogens before adding them to your meal.
Other people's homemade canned goods
Home canning is a precise science that requires very specific temperatures and acidic levels to prevent botulism. You can't be certain that a neighbor or friend followed these strict safety protocols correctly in their own kitchen.
Since you can't see or smell the toxins that cause botulism, it's safest to avoid eating low-acid canned goods like vegetables or meats from unofficial sources.
Food from damaged cans
You should never purchase or eat food from cans that have deep dents, especially along the seams. A dent can create a microscopic hole that allows air and bacteria to enter the sterile environment inside.
If a can is bulging or hissing when opened, it's a sign that dangerous gases have built up. Throwing away a damaged can is much cheaper than a trip to the hospital.
Staying informed about food safety is an important part of looking after the people you love. While it can be disappointing to change old habits, your health is the most important priority in the kitchen.
Most food-borne illnesses are entirely preventable with a little bit of caution and the right knowledge.