Bacteria, viruses and parasites are the most common causes of food poisoning, or food borne illness and are quite common. So much so, there are some foods that one expert says he never eats.
He’s not a scientist. He’s not a doctor. He’s a food illness and safety lawyer.
Bill Marler has been representing people in food poisoning cases since the 90’s. E coli, listeria, salmonella, botulism…
Raw eggs are not as much a threat as they were ten or fifteen years ago but they still make the list of foods Marler avoids. As of late, uncooked flour that may carry e coli also hits his list of eight foods he just doesn’t eat.
Topping the list are raw, unpasteurized milk and juices.
“Countless outbreaks primarily with pretty sick kids. Children who died. Children who develop accute kidney failure from raw milk and raw juices,” said Marler.
He doesn’t eat bagged salad and he says pre-washed fruits and veggies have seen a spike in listeria.
“Almost all the people who get listeria are hospitalized and the death rate is about a third,” Marler explained.
Marler also avoids raw shellfish and not just because it’s raw.
“There’s an increase in not only the human population in the area just causing fecal contamination but also in the increasing temperature of the water." He adds as global waters heat up, they produce microbial growth which slide down your throat as you slurp down your oysters.
Food borne pathogens also love sprouts. Sprouts are one the main causes of the some of largest e coli outbreaks around the world.
Undercooked hamburger can be dangerous as well. Meat, he says, needs to be cooked to 160 degrees internally to kill any bacteria. He eats steak medium well but doesn’t dismiss that there could still be risks with any cut of meat not cooked to temperature.
The new hype is raw water and he’s added the trend to his list of foods to avoid. People collect water from streams and ponds and he says that's "just not worth the risk and not worth the price." Almost everything that can and will make you sick can be found in untreated water.
For Marler’s list of foods to avoid and the risks click here. It used to be a list of six. Now it’s eight.