The 10 Foods Most Likely to Make You Sick

by Sarah Parsons · 2010-06-09 09:00:00 UTC
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Change.org blogger David Orr recently highlighted a report on the FDA put out by the Institute of Medicine (IOM). The take-away points indicated what many of us already knew—that the FDA fails to adequately manage food safety issues and is in desperate need of a total overhaul.

Just think about the number of E. coli and salmonella outbreaks during the past few years. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), foodborne pathogens cause about 76 million illnesses, 325,000 hospitalizations, and 5,000 deaths in America every year. Obviously we can't hold the FDA responsible for all these instances, but it's clear that the country isn't adequately protected against foodborne illnesses. The FDA oversees about 80 percent of America's food supply. It stands to reason, then, that overhauling the agency would be a good start to combating foodborne diseases.

In response to the report, the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) released its list of the 10 riskiest foods based on the number of reported pathogen outbreaks and illnesses associated with eating these items. After the break, check out which foods CSPI deems the dodgiest when it comes to foodborne illness risk.

CSPI listed these items as the 10 foods most likely to cause foodborne illnesses (beginning with the riskiest and moving on down the chain): Leafy greens, Eggs, Tuna, Oysters, Potatoes, Cheese, Ice Cream, Tomatoes, Sprouts, and Berries.

Should consumers stay away from these foods entirely? Of course not. I mean really, is a life without ice cream even worth living? But there are steps folks can take to limit their risk of contracting foodborne illnesses.

For one, wash all produce properly before consumption. Cook foods thoroughly to kill off bacteria, and make sure to purchase products from responsible purveyors. And finally, support the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act, which, if passed, will completely overhaul the FDA and create a safer, more reliable system for handling food safety issues. Sign our petition telling Congress that it's time to make a move on this stalled legislation.

Photo credit: pawel_231 via stock.xchng

Sarah Parsons is Change.org's Sustainable Food Editor. Her work has appeared in Popular Science, OnEarth, Audubon and Plenty.

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