They’re a recipe for an abdominal apocalypse.
While food poisoning can have many sources, certain foods can make mealtime seem like playing intestinal roulette.
A new survey by Consumer Reports has named the 10 riskiest foods in the US based on their recalls and track record of making people sick.
CR specifically examined the number of foodborne illnesses and deaths in 2024, the spread of the outbreaks and food recalls.
The data was sourced from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Food and Drug Administration, and the Department of Agriculture.
The stomach-churning report comes following a 41% increase in food recalls due to “possible contamination with salmonella, E. coli, and listeria in 2024 compared with the year before,” CR reported. Meanwhile, confirmed cases of foodborne illness soared by 20 percent while associated hospitalizations and deaths more than doubled from the same time last year.
Without further ado, here are the ten riskiest foods when it comes to foodborne illness.
Deli meat
At the top of the food poisoning pyramid was deli meat, which resulted in 165 illnesses and 87 hospitalizations due to listeria. This innocuous-seeming sandwich staple makes consistent appearances on CR lists due to its frequent handling and the fact that listeria bacteria are frequently found at processing plants and on deli counters.
The cause this year was the Boar’s Head outbreak over the summer. Between May and mid-September of 2024, ten people died and over 61 were sickened across 19 states after eating listeria-tainted Boar’s Head products, including liverwurst, during the largest outbreak of foodborne illness in 2024.
As a result, “the company recalled 7 million pounds of cold cuts of all types and announced it would no longer make liverwurst,” per CR.
James E. Rogers, PhD, director and head of product and food safety testing at Consumer Reports, said people can mitigate the contamination risk by heating deli meat until it’s “piping hot” and using prepackaged cold cuts, which are generally handled less.
Cucumbers
Cucumbers can put one’s stomach in quite a pickle. According to CR, salmonella found in this healthy-seeming veggie torpedo was responsible for over 664 reported illnesses and 173 reported hospitalizations in 2024. Thankfully, no deaths were reported.
The outbreaks were linked to both whole cucumbers at supermarkets and sliced veggies used in prepared salads sold at major US grocers.
CR recommends that people “choose fruits and vegetables that are free of bruises or damaged skin because bacteria can more easily enter those areas.”
“Washing and peeling can reduce bacteria, but doesn’t remove all of it,” they write.
Raw milk, raw cheese
Raw milk and raw cheese made the food poisoning pantheon with over 182 illnesses and 29 hospitalizations due to E. coli and salmonella collectively. The culprits were unpasteurized milk products from Raw Farms, which resulted in an outbreak due to salmonella in milk and cream, and another caused by E. coli in raw cheddar cheese.
CR advises people to refrain from eating raw cheese and also to age raw cheese for 60 days before selling to destroy harmful bacteria in line with FDA guidelines. Although, as last year’s outbreak proves, these precautionary measures aren’t foolproof.
Cotija and Queso Fresco Cheese
Soft cheeses are another breeding ground for listeria due to their high water content and low acidity. Last year, the products were linked to 26 reported illnesses and 23 reported hospitalizations. CR advised avoiding these dairy products to curb the chances of contracting a foodborne illness.
Eggs
Your wallet isn’t the only thing paying the price for eggs. Salmonella in bird embryos was responsible for 93 illnesses and 34 hospitalizations last year. To protect oneself, CR advises throwing away eggs with broken shells, washing hands after handling eggs and cooking eggs until both the yolk and the white are firm.
Onions
Last year, there were 104 reported illnesses and 1 reported death due to E. coli in onions. All of the victims had reportedly eaten McDonald’s Quarter Pounders containing fresh yellow onions supplied by Taylor Farms, which subsequently recalled the affected burger toppings.
CR notes that people can minimize the chances of getting poisoned at home by buying “whole, unbruised produce” and slicing it up themselves. They also recommend discarding the first few layers of a whole onion before slicing, as the interior is less likely to be contaminated.
Leafy Greens
Leafy greens might seem synonymous with Popeye-like strength and nutrition, but they can also be breeding grounds for E. coli.
CR observed that many of the leafy greens in the US are grown next to cattle feedlots and are therefore susceptible to being tainted by runoff.
Last year, there were 117 reported illnesses, 36 reported hospitalizations, and one reported death due to E. coli found in leafy roughage.
CR says people can mitigate the illness risk while dining out by avoiding salads or raw greens on sandwiches.
While prepping food at home, meanwhile, people can help prevent contamination by “using hydroponic lettuce, which is grown in greenhouses and therefore less likely to be contaminated by animal waste.”
Raw carrots
Raw carrots were responsible for 48 illnesses, 20 hospitalizations and one death due to E. coli poisoning last year. Carrot producer Grimmway Farms issued a recall on organic bagged whole and baby carrots purveyed under multiple names after they were linked to contamination in 19 states.
While washing and peeling can reduce risk, cooking is the only fool-proof way to kill all microbes, per CR.
Organic basil
Also susceptible to contamination from the soil? Organic basil was linked to 36 illnesses and 4 hospitalizations related to salmonella last year.
As with carrots, washing and cooking can help protect against poisoning, Rogers advised.
Cooked poultry and meat
Listeria was found in cooked poultry and meat products last year, which thankfully resulted in zero reported illnesses, hospitalizations and deaths.
Nonetheless, CR advised heating frozen foods thoroughly before consumption.
Rogers said the ranking is not meant to dissuade people from eating these foods entirely but rather to maintain a watchful eye.
“Many of these foods are important parts of a healthy diet,” he said. “Our ranking is meant to help you understand how to properly handle them, and when to skip certain ones in order to stay safe.”
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