Leafy greens
Yes, they’re your favorite go-to salad greens – lettuce, escarole, endive, spinach, cabbage, kale, arugula, and chard. But they also caused 363 outbreaks involving 13,568 reported cases of illness since 1990.
Greens can be contaminated by manure, dirty water rinses, or unwashed hands before you even purchase them. To avoid getting sick, wash produce and prevent cross-contamination (improper handling of meat in the kitchen can spread bacteria to other types of food, including greens) by washing hands and using separate cutting boards.
Eggs
This breakfast favorite has been linked to 352 outbreaks since 1990, most often due to Salmonella bacteria. The bacteria can lurk inside the egg, so proper cooking is key (which kills the germs). Avoid eating any products containing raw eggs, including cookie dough.
“Our food supply is safe,” says Dr. Craig Hedberg, of the University of Minnesota School of Public Health in Minneapolis. “There is roughly one illness for every three to four thousand meals served,” he says. Still, “raw food items like eggs may have contamination and need to be handled properly.”
