Why Unpasteurised Milk And Shellfish May Be Loaded With Deadly Bacteria

These Foods May Kill You (Eventually) If You Don't Store Them Properly

Food safety is not something to be sniffed at.

From a dodgy, but otherwise harmless, tummy to full-blown salmonella poisoning, skipping corners or being misinformed can lead to undesirable consequences.

USA Today interviewed several experts who revealed some very interesting things about food.

Hot off the back of 'to wash or not wash your chicken', it turns our washing meat and chicken actually spreads more germs than if you cooked it straight from the packet.

Shellfish can be a hazard - not just if it's not fresh - as it can contain a bacteria called Vibrio vulnificus which can attack a person's liver and stomach.

"Before the invention and acceptance of pasteurization, raw milk was a common source of the bacteria that cause tuberculosis, diphtheria, severe streptococcal infections, typhoid fever, and other foodborne illnesses.

"These illnesses killed many people each year, especially young children. In the 1900s many mothers recognised this risk and would boil milk (bringing it to a temperature of 212°F) before giving it to their infants and young children."

An unlikely candidate for bacteria is the humble bean sprout. Kitchenette reports: "The porous nature of sprouts actually makes them more difficult to wash, and since they need humid conditions to grow in the first place, bacteria like E. Coli, Listeria, and Salmonella find them an easy breeding ground.

"Among fruits and vegetables, bean sprouts are actually potentially the single most dangerous, according to the CDC."

Here are some top food safety tips from HuffPost Healthy Living. Think we've missed any out? Let us know in the comments below.

Close