06/04/2026
🔬 🧪 1. Raw or undercooked poultry (chicken, turkey)
Microorganisms: Campylobacter jejuni (most common), Salmonella spp., Clostridium perfringens
Risk: Severe diarrhea, fever, cramps; Campylobacter can trigger Guillain-Barré syndrome (paralysis)
Why dangerous: Poultry is very frequently contaminated; undercooking is common
2. Raw leafy greens (lettuce, spinach, kale)
Microorganisms: E. coli O157:H7, Listeria monocytogenes, Salmonella, Norovirus
Risk: Hemolytic uremic syndrome (kidney failure) from E. coli; listeriosis can kill fetuses
Why dangerous: Grown in soil, irrigated with contaminated water, no kill step before eating
3. Raw or undercooked ground beef
Microorganisms: E. coli O157:H7, Salmonella, Campylobacter
Risk: Severe bloody diarrhea, HUS (especially in children), death
Why dangerous: Grinding spreads surface bacteria throughout the meat
4. Raw shellfish (oysters, clams, mussels)
Microorganisms: Vibrio vulnificus, Vibrio parahaemolyticus, Norovirus, Hepatitis A
Risk: V. vulnificus causes septicemia and death in 50% of people with liver disease; Hepatitis A causes liver failure
Why dangerous: Filter feeders concentrate pathogens from warm seawater
5. Raw or undercooked eggs
Microorganisms: Salmonella enteritidis (inside the egg, not just shell)
Risk: Severe gastroenteritis; hospitalization for elderly, infants, immunocompromised
Why dangerous: Infected hens lay contaminated eggs internally.
