Foodborne infections are not rare flukes, they are a predictable consequence of how certain foods are grown, processed, and served. As a microbiologist, I pay close attention to the products that most often carry Salmonella and E. coli, and I quietly avoid a handful of everyday favorites that make outbreaks more likely than they need to be.
Instead of obsessing over every crumb, I focus on the highest risk categories, the ones that repeatedly show up in outbreak investigations and hospital charts. That means skipping some popular foods entirely, handling others with almost clinical care, and building habits in my kitchen that cut the odds of a serious infection without killing the joy of eating.
Why Salmonella and E. coli top my worry list
When I decide which foods to skip, I start with the pathogens that cause the most severe and preventable illness. Salmonella and E. coli are at the top of that list because they are common in the food supply, can cause life threatening complications, and are notoriously hard to spot by sight or smell. Public health data show that these and other microbes, including Campylobacter and Listeria, are responsible for a large share of food poisoning cases linked to bacteria and viruses that contaminate everyday meals.
Salmonella in particular is a repeat offender in raw or undercooked meat, poultry, and eggs, as well as in unpasteurized milk and other products that bypass heat treatment. Clinical guidance notes that a typical Salmonella infection is usually caused by eating raw or undercooked meat, poultry, and eggs or egg products, or by drinking unpasteurized milk, and that the resulting Symptoms can range from diarrhea and fever to dangerous dehydration. E. coli, especially toxin producing strains, is just as concerning because a small dose can cause kidney damage, particularly in children and older adults, which is why I treat any food commonly linked to these bacteria with extra suspicion.
Raw and undercooked eggs, from cookie dough to Caesar salad
Raw eggs are one of the first foods I learned to side step in microbiology training, and that habit has only hardened with time. Even in countries with strong oversight, Salmonella can live inside seemingly clean eggs, so I avoid raw or undercooked eggs and any dishes that hide them, including cookie dough, homemade mayonnaise, and traditional Caesar dressing. Food safety scientists like Jun have publicly described skipping raw or undercooked eggs and foods containing them, such as cookie dough or homemade Caesar dressings, because in the U.S. there is still a measurable risk that eggs, pork, poultry, and fish can carry pathogens, a point underscored in reporting on what Jun and other experts refuse to eat.
From a microbiologist’s perspective, the problem is not just sunny side up eggs on a plate, it is all the casual tasting and shortcuts that slip raw egg into the day. Licking batter from the mixer, ordering a steak tartare bound with egg yolk, or trusting a homemade aioli at a potluck all create opportunities for Salmonella to bypass the kill step that cooking provides. Clinical guidance on Salmonella infections makes it clear that eggs and egg products are a major vehicle for this pathogen, and that infections can be severe, especially for young children, older adults, and people with weakened immune systems, which is why I insist on fully cooked eggs and commercially pasteurized products instead of gambling on hidden raw ingredients linked to Salmonella, An Illness that can cause food poisoning each year.
Raw shellfish and other high risk animal foods
Raw animal products are a recurring theme in outbreak investigations, and some of them are simply not worth the risk to me. Raw oysters, for example, can concentrate bacteria from coastal waters, including Vibrio species and sometimes Salmonella or norovirus, and there is no reliable way to judge safety by appearance. Food safety scientists have highlighted raw oysters, alfalfa sprouts, and steak tartare as foods they personally avoid because of the elevated risk of contamination, a stance reflected in reporting on Raw items that experts skip despite their popularity.
Steak tartare and other raw or barely seared beef dishes pose a different but equally serious problem. While an intact steak can be seared on the outside to kill surface bacteria, ground or chopped meat mixes any contamination throughout the portion, so a rare burger or tartare leaves pathogens like E. coli and Salmonella alive in the center. National food safety guidance lists contaminated food, especially undercooked ground beef and unpasteurized milk and juice, as key sources of E. coli, and also flags soft cheeses made from raw milk, leafy greens, and sprouts as additional vehicles for infection, a pattern documented in summaries of Contaminated foods that repeatedly show up in outbreaks.
Sprouts and bagged salad greens
Sprouts are one of the few plant foods I almost never touch, no matter how fresh they look. The way they are grown, in warm, humid conditions that are perfect for germination, is also perfect for bacteria like E. coli and Salmonella to multiply if they are present on the seed. Food safety experts have singled out sprouts and bagged salad greens as items they steer clear of to avoid E. coli, especially in the wake of outbreaks linked to these products, a pattern described in coverage of Sprouts and other leafy greens that have triggered recalls.
Bagged salad mixes are not inherently unsafe, but they combine several risk factors that make me cautious. Once greens are cut, they release nutrients that feed bacteria, and if the bag sits in a warm car or on a counter, any contaminant can multiply quickly. Barbara Kowalcyk, director of the Institute for Food Safety and Nutrition Security at the George Washington University, has warned that these products become even riskier when they are left sitting out, because temperature abuse gives pathogens time to grow. I still eat leafy greens, but I prefer whole heads that I wash and dry myself, and I avoid raw sprouts entirely unless they have been thoroughly cooked in a stir fry or soup.
Perishable leftovers in the “danger zone”
Leftovers can be a quiet source of food poisoning, especially when they linger too long at room temperature. Bacteria grow fastest in what food safety agencies call the danger zone, between 40 degrees Fahrenheit and 140 degrees Fahrenheit, and perishable dishes that sit out for hours at a party or on a countertop give Salmonella and E. coli a perfect opportunity to multiply. Official guidance on Leftovers and Food Safety stresses keeping food out of this danger zone and discarding items that have been held too long, especially when the air temperature is above 90 degrees Fahrenheit.
As a microbiologist, I treat time and temperature as non negotiable controls, not suggestions. Perishable food has a time limit on how long it can be safely eaten, and scientists like Primrose have emphasized that they always look at the clock and are willing to throw food away rather than risk an illness that can still make you extremely unwell even if it looks and smells fine. Reporting on what one scientist would never eat notes that Perishable items that have lingered too long are firmly on that list, and I share that view, especially for meat, rice dishes, and creamy casseroles that have spent more than two hours in the danger zone.
Raw sprouts and “too risky” health foods
Some of the foods marketed as wholesome or trendy are exactly the ones I avoid because their safety record is poor. Raw sprouts, including alfalfa and clover, are a prime example, often added as a garnish on avocado toast and sandwiches in cafes that pride themselves on fresh ingredients. Food safety experts have warned that raw sprouts are so frequently linked to outbreaks that the risks may actually outweigh the benefits, and that you do not have to give them up entirely if you cook them thoroughly, but that eating them raw significantly increases your risk for food poisoning, a concern captured in warnings that label Raw sprouts as not worth the risk.
From a microbiological standpoint, the problem is baked into how sprouts are produced. Seeds can be contaminated in the field by animal manure or dirty irrigation water, and once they are soaked and warmed to sprout, any bacteria present can explode in number. Because the contamination is internal, washing does little to remove it, and there is no practical way for consumers to test a box of sprouts at home. That is why national food safety resources list sprouts alongside undercooked ground beef, unpasteurized milk and juice, soft cheeses made from raw milk, and leafy greens as common sources of E. coli, a pattern summarized in guidance on sprouts and other high risk foods.
Unpasteurized milk, juices, and soft cheeses
Pasteurization is one of the quiet triumphs of public health, and I am wary of any product that skips it. Unpasteurized, or raw, milk and juices can carry E. coli, Salmonella, Listeria, and other pathogens straight from farm environments into the glass, and no amount of swirling or sniffing will reveal the danger. National food safety information highlights unpasteurized milk and juice, along with soft cheeses made from raw milk, as frequent sources of E. coli infections, grouping them with undercooked ground beef, leafy greens, and sprouts as foods that have repeatedly been implicated in outbreaks of E. coli and other bacteria.
Soft cheeses made from raw milk, such as certain artisanal bries or fresh cheeses sold at markets, are especially risky for pregnant people, older adults, and anyone with a weakened immune system. Listeria can grow even at refrigerator temperatures, and when it is present in unpasteurized dairy, it can cause miscarriages, meningitis, or bloodstream infections. As a microbiologist, I do not see raw dairy as a romantic throwback, I see it as a product that has skipped a proven safety step. I choose pasteurized milk, juices, and cheeses instead, and I read labels carefully to avoid unpasteurized products that bypass the heat treatment that dramatically lowers the risk of Salmonella and E. coli.
Buffets, potlucks, and the problem of time and temperature
Even when the ingredients are safe, the way food is served can turn a low risk dish into a high risk one. Buffets, salad bars, and potlucks often combine large volumes of food, inconsistent temperature control, and many different hands touching serving utensils, which is exactly the environment where Salmonella and E. coli can spread. Food safety guidance on leftovers emphasizes keeping hot foods hot and cold foods cold, and warns that once perishable dishes have been in the danger zone for more than two hours, or for one hour when the air is above 90 degrees Fahrenheit, they should be discarded, advice that applies just as much to a church potluck as to restaurant buffets.
As a microbiologist, I pay attention to how long trays have been sitting out and whether they are actually being kept at safe temperatures. If I see lukewarm chafing dishes, salads sweating on a table, or platters that have clearly been picked over for hours, I skip them, no matter how appealing they look. I also avoid high risk items like raw sprouts, undercooked meats, and homemade egg based sauces in these settings, because there is no way to verify how they were prepared or how long they have been in the danger zone. Instead, I gravitate toward freshly cooked, piping hot dishes and simple items like whole fruit that are less likely to harbor E. coli or Salmonella after hours on a buffet line.
The kitchen habits that matter more than any single food
While I avoid certain foods outright, most of my risk reduction comes from how I handle the ingredients I do buy. Clean hands, clean tools, and clean surfaces are the foundation, because germs can survive in many places around the kitchen, including cutting boards, countertops, and sponges. Public health guidance on how to avoid food poisoning from E. coli and Salmonella stresses the basics, urging people to Clean, Wash, and remember that Germs can persist on hands and utensils if they are not washed thoroughly with soap and water.
Cooking foods to the right temperature is just as important as choosing the right foods in the first place. I rely on a thermometer, not guesswork, to make sure meat and poultry, including ground products, reach safe internal temperatures that kill Salmonella and E. coli. Educational materials on preventing foodborne illness explicitly advise people to Cook Foods Adequately and Use a thermometer to verify that meat and poultry are cooked to safe temperatures, guidance that I follow every time I prepare burgers, chicken, or leftovers that need reheating, as outlined in resources that urge home cooks to Cook Foods Adequately and Use a thermometer instead of relying on color alone.
Why reheating is not a magic fix
One of the most persistent myths I encounter is the idea that reheating food will always make it safe again. In reality, if bacteria have already grown and released toxins, simply warming the dish may not remove the danger. Experts on foodborne illness point out that when bacteria release a toxin, reheating the food will not get rid of the problem, and that some common practices, such as tasting food to see if it is still good, are strongly discouraged by public health agencies, a warning highlighted in guidance that notes that The CD C strongly recommends against this practice.
As a microbiologist, I treat leftovers with the same respect I give raw ingredients. If a dish has been left out too long, I do not rely on reheating to rescue it, because toxins from bacteria like Staphylococcus aureus or certain strains of E. coli can remain active even after the microbes themselves are killed. Instead, I focus on preventing the problem by refrigerating food promptly, keeping it out of the danger zone, and discarding anything that has crossed the time and temperature limits set by food safety authorities. That approach, combined with avoiding the highest risk foods like raw sprouts, unpasteurized dairy, and undercooked eggs, is what allows me to enjoy meals while keeping Salmonella and E. coli in the lab where they belong, not on my plate.
More from MorningOverview