Food Most Likely To Cause Food Poising 

Consumer Reports ranks foods linked to the most serious recalls and disease outbreaks in recent years…

Millions of people fall ill every year from salmonella, listeria, E. coli and other bacteria or viruses in food. 

Most recover on their own after a few unpleasant days. But nearly 130,000 people are hospitalized and 3,000 die from foodborne illnesses annually. Children under the age of 5, older people, and those who are pregnant or have a weakened immune system are at the greatest risk.

To investigate the foods most often linked to those types of illnesses, Consumer Reports food safety experts looked at food recalls and food-borne disease outbreaks from 2017 through 2022.

THE TOP 10 FOODS THAT COULD GIVE YOU FOOD POISONING

Leafy Greens: Romaine and bagged lettuce in particular…

Cheeses and Deli Meats: Sausage, salami, ham, lunch meats, sliced cheeses, and soft cheeses, such as brie and queso fresco 

Ground Beef

Onions: Red, Sweet and white onions

Chicken and Turkey: including ground, whole, and parts 

Papayas, Peaches, and Melons: Pre-cut cantaloupe, honeydew, and watermelon; whole cantaloupes, papayas, and peaches

Flour: Uncooked flour; cookie, brownie, cake, and pancake mixes; and premade cake batter

What you can do: Generally, you’re best off avoiding pre-cut fruit, Rogers says, especially if you are at high risk for complications from food-borne illness. Instead, buy whole fruit and cut it up yourself at home. When choosing whole fruits, avoid bruised or damaged ones. And washing helps primarily to remove dirt and some pesticides, not bacteria, but it’s still worth doing.