Infections from foodborne viruses or bacteria are increasingly frequent, as are disorders and diseases resulting from exposure to heavy metals and other dangerous elements contained in foods. To avoid these risks it is necessary to pay attention to the way we cook foods that present a higher risk of contamination. To help us avoid making mistakes, the researchers of the Food Safety Research Department at Consumer Reports, who have drawn up a list of the foods most at risk.
Food infections, a list lists the riskiest foods
The list drawn up by the scholars takes into consideration the foods that most frequently gave rise to disease outbreaks in the years between 2017 and 2022. The foods in question should absolutely not be eliminated from our diet, but prepared and administered following very specific rules . The list indicates the following riskiest foods: leafy vegetables; cured meats and cheeses; ground beef; onions; chicken and turkey; papaya and peaches; watermelon and melon; Flour.
The rules to follow
The most transmissible infections by consuming these foods are caused by salmonella, From 'Escherchia Coli, From Listeria. Let's see in detail. In first place we find leafy vegetables, which represent the vegetables with the highest possibility of contamination, both because it is possible that they are irrigated with contaminated water, and because they are often grown near farms of animals carrying Escherchia Coli. It is preferable to buy them in bulk, eliminate the external leaves where the bacteria nest, and prefer the cooked ones.
Followed, in second place, by cured meats and cheeses, which are particularly at risk of listeria, a listeriosis infection. It is a very dangerous bacterium because it is difficult to defeat. It would be advisable to choose pre-packaged ones and avoid cheeses prepared with unpasteurized milk. In third place is ground beef which may contain strains of Escherchia Coli or salmonella. The best way to avoid becoming infected is to cook the meat very well and not leave it out of the refrigerator for more than two hours.
In fourth place are packaged onions that may contain salmonella. The researchers' advice is to cook them or wash them carefully, avoiding damaged ones. Chicken and turkey follow. Also in this case the spread of infections is high due to the overcrowding present in the farms. It is necessary that the meat is cooked to at least 70 degrees Celsius and that you avoid rinsing it before cooking so as not to spread bacteria in the kitchen sink. Then there are papayas and peaches, which can be attacked by salmonella through contaminated soil.
In ninth place we find watermelon and melon. They should not be consumed already cut into slices and, in any case, it is important to always wash all the fruit before consuming it. In tenth place is flour. Wheat can easily be contaminated with strains of Escherchia Coli and salmonella from both livestock farms and wild animals. It is therefore important to consume cooked flour and try to prevent it from contaminating other foods in the pantry. You must therefore take care to always wash objects that come into contact with flour with hot water and soap.
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