Every day we buy dozens of familiar products at the supermarket, without even realizing that some of them pose a deadly danger. American experts from Consumer Reports studied food products and disease outbreaks from 2017 to 2022 and compiled a list of the ten most dangerous.
The biggest health threat is posed by leafy greens, such as romaine lettuce and packaged mixes. They have repeatedly been the source of E. coli and listeria infections. In just five years, 614 people have been affected by such cases, 11 of whom have died.
The cause of the infection is said to be contaminated water used to water the plants. Moreover, even if the greens are clean at the growing stage, bacteria quickly spread between products at processing plants.
Experts advise choosing a whole head of lettuce instead of ready-made packaged mixes and always removing the outer leaves, where germs can most often accumulate.
The top three most dangerous products also include cheese, cold cuts, and ground beef. They are a source of salmonella and listeria, especially if stored improperly.
The list of dangerous also includes:
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onion,
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turkey,
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chicken,
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papaya,
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peaches,
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melon,
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flour.
According to researchers, most of the risks are associated with bacterial contamination during cultivation, transportation or processing. That is why it is important to wash vegetables and fruits thoroughly, observe storage conditions and cook meat well.
