from the publishers of: Verywell, Real Simple, EatingWell, Shape, Parents, Health and Allrecipes
The temptation to rush your food prep is real. You’re hungry. You’re busy. And everything looks delicious enough, or at least satisfying to an empty stomach. But before you lick that spoon of brownie batter or take the hamburger out of the skillet, you may want to double-check that it’s reached a food-safe temperature. Plenty of everyday foods are perfectly safe and nutritious when prepared correctly, but when consumed raw or even undercooked, the ingredients put people at risk for illness or worse.
“Many people are aware of the potential to develop foodborne illnesses by eating raw or undercooked animal products, including chicken, eggs and meat,” says Stacey Woodson, MS, RDN, LDN, “However, there are also plant-based foods that should not be consumed if they are uncooked.”
Read on for a list of seven foods you should never eat raw, with input from professionals.
Before you sample that dough or batter, know that eating uncooked flour isn’t advisable. “The real reason you shouldn’t eat raw cookie dough isn’t the eggs, as long as they’re pasteurized,” says Kristen Lorenz, RD LDN. “Uncooked flour is considered a raw food since the processing of grains to make flour doesn’t kill salmonella and E. coli, which the grain could be exposed to. So if you love eating raw cookie dough, you’ll want to heat-treat your flour first and use pasteurized eggs.”
There’s a reason any utensils that touch raw ground beef when cooking should be cleaned so as not to contaminate the finished product. Ground beef should never be eaten raw, and for good reason. “E coli is a bacteria that can be found in beef and can cause severe foodborne illness and even death. E coli is killed at a temperature of 71 degrees,” says Jennifer House MSc, RD. “The bacteria on a steak sit on the outside of the meat. A steak is safe to consume undercooked, as the bacteria on the outside are still cooked and killed. But hamburger or steak tartare is ground-up steak, so the bacteria can be distributed throughout. If the meat is not fully cooked, it could potentially cause illness due to bacteria that may be present.”
Poultry in any form shouldn’t be eaten raw. Chicken, turkey, duck, goose, and more poultry should reach an internal temperature of at least 165 degrees before it is safe to serve, according to the CDC. “Raw chicken can contain multiple bacteria, including salmonella, that can cause foodborne illness,” says House. “Anyone who has experienced food poisoning knows that it’s not worth the risk.”
You likely enjoy your beans cooked until soft, or at least al dente, and that may be your palate’s way of saving your life from uncooked kidney beans. “The risk of eating raw or undercooked kidney beans is not common knowledge,” says Lorenz. “Before they’re cooked, raw kidney beans contain a high level of phytohaemagglutinin, which is a lectin, or protein, found in legumes. It can cause food poisoning-like symptoms from just a few raw beans. As long as you’re cooking your beans adequately—soak for at least 5 hours, boil for 10 minutes or more—you will be fine!” Those who prefer canned beans are totally safe, as they’re fully cooked and ready to eat right from the can if you like.
Raw milk is controversial on many levels. “I understand there’s a growing number of folks who choose raw milk, but as a health professional, I can’t recommend it,” says Lorenz. “Pasteurization was invented to help reduce the risk of illness from bacteria, because it was so common. There are a number of bacteria strains, such as E. coli, salmonella, Listeria, and Campylobacter, that have been found in and connected to raw milk consumption. Any of these could result in hospitalization or even death.”
Undercooked lima beans can be unexpectedly dangerous. “It is important to thoroughly cook lima beans, as they contain a compound called linamarin,” says Woodson. “When ingested, linamarin is converted to cyanide. According to the CDC, even small amounts of cyanide exposure may cause shortness of breath, weakness, headaches, dizziness, eye pain, and other symptoms.” Don’t worry, lima beans are still a safe food to eat fully cooked, and an important source of nutrients including protein, fiber, and iron, Woodson points out. “The cooking process inhibits the release of cyanide from the lima beans,” she continues. Oregon State University recommends cooking lima beans in a large pot of boiling water for 30 minutes, or longer, to reduce cyanide exposure.
Cassava—also called yuca—is a root vegetable that grows underground, similar to potatoes, but starchier. “There are many ways to prepare cassava, but in the U.S., it is most commonly eaten in its ground form, tapioca, a thickening agent,” says Woodson. “Cassava contains dangerous levels of cyanide. It is essential to discard the skin and cook it before consumption.” The Centre for Food Safety recommends cutting cassava into small pieces, soaking it in water, and then thoroughly boiling it in a fresh pot of water.