Have you ever had food poisoning? Bill Marler, a food security lawyer, knows how to avoid them. The expert would never eat the following 6 foods.
According to a report by the World Health Organization (WHO), around 351,000 people worldwide die from food poisoning each year. So that things don't get that far, Bill Marler has published six foods in the "Poison Food Journal" that he would never eat personally. And which you too should avoid for the benefit of your health.
1. Pre-cut fruits and vegetables
Packaged carrots, salad boxes or fruit in a cup: Pre-cut food is extremely practical and convenient. Nonetheless, it is better to cut your carrots yourself, as you can never be sure what contaminants the product has been exposed to. In general, the more a product is processed, the more bacteria adhere to it. According to experts, this increases the risk of E. coli poisoning.
2. Unpasteurized milk and packaged juices
Unpasteurized milk can be contaminated with bacteria, viruses and parasites. As the expert explains, a total of 148 food poisonings were recorded in the United States between 1998 and 2011 due to raw milk or raw milk products. Since the sale of unpasteurized milk and juices is not particularly high, this number should not be neglected. The pasteurization process is used by many companies worldwide to make their products safer.
3. Uncooked sprouts
Uncooked or only slightly cooked sprouts have often been the cause of bacterial diseases and Salmonella. To avoid exposing yourself to this risk, Marler recommends avoiding this food altogether. If necessary, the food should be cooked or fried.
4. Meat that is still "half-raw"
Basically, Bill Marler advises against eating raw or semi-raw meat and explains: "If it is not cooked above 160 degrees Fahrenheit (70 degrees Celsius), it can cause E. coli, salmonella and other bacterial diseases." Should he go to a really good restaurant, he would still choose a steak that was "medium" fried – and hadn't seen too many knives before. Because they are carriers of bacteria.
5. Oysters and other shellfish
The consumption of raw shellfish – especially oysters – has caused numerous food poisoning in the past decades. The reason is obvious: shellfish filter dangerous substances that can be found on the bottom of the sea. And these in turn pass into your organism when you eat the food raw. Even if oysters are considered an aphrodisiac, Marler concludes: "It is simply not worth the risk."
6. Raw or short-cooked eggs
For one or the other, the Salmonella epidemics from the 1980s and early 1990s may still be present. At that time, these were triggered by raw eggs that were contaminated with germs. Although the number of salmonella poisonings has decreased significantly, the expert advises against eating raw or short-cooked eggs.