The answer is yes.
In fact, 838 consumers from 38 different states recently learned this shocking truth through an outbreak of a foodborne illness known as salmonella. In total, 165 people have been hospitalized and four deaths have been reported.
“Salmonella infection is a common bacterial disease that affects the intestinal tract,” according to the Mayo Clinic. “Salmonella bacteria typically live in animal and human intestines and are shed through water. Humans become infected most frequently through contaminated water or food.”
The scary thing is that salmonella is not uncommon. In fact, the CDC reports that “every year, Salmonella is estimated to cause one million illnesses in the United States, with 19,000 hospitalizations and 380 deaths.”
Though many people develop no symptoms from salmonella, some can become very ill. The Mayo Clinic says that those who do have symptoms often “develop diarrhea, fever and abdominal cramps within eight to 72 hours.” That said, “most healthy people recover within a few days without specific treatment.”
However, there are those who contract this illness can become very ill. “In some cases, the diarrhea associated with salmonella infection can be so dehydrating as to require prompt medical attention,” according to the Mayo Clinic. “Life-threatening complications also may develop if the infection spreads beyond your intestines.”
Symptoms can include: nausea, vomiting, abdominal cramps, diarrhea, fever, chills, headache, and blood in the stool.
In truth, some people have a higher risk of developing salmonella than others. According to the Mayo Clinic, traveling to a foreign country with little sanitation can put you at risk for salmonella. In addition, antacids, inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and antibiotic use can increase your risk. Further, those with compromised immune systems have a higher risk of developing salmonella. For example, individuals with sickle cell disease and AIDS are more at risk. And finally, owning a bird or reptile can also put you in the danger zone.
Following are six foods that have been linked to salmonella. Though some of these foods may be familiar in terms of developing this illness, other just might shock you.
Are you ready?
1. Eggs
Eggs make for a perfect breakfast staple. Unfortunately, eggs can also be linked to salmonella.
According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), approximately “142,000 illnesses each year are caused by consuming eggs contaminated with Salmonella.” Scary thought, huh?
One of the most important to ways avoid this health catastrophe is to eliminate one all-time-favorite egg concoction. We hate to be the bearer of bad news, but “sunny side up” eggs have to go. In other words, never eat eggs that are runny or not fully cooked. (Sorry, ladies.)
In addition, always keep eggs refrigerated and practice good hygiene when it comes to handling eggs. Wash your hands before and after handling eggs, and wash any cooking utensils that have come into contact with eggs.
2. Peanut Butter
Peanut butter is one of America’s tastiest treats. But did you know that it can actually make you sick?
In 2008, peanut butter manufactured by PCA was linked to a deadly salmonella outbreak. Consumers were shocked.
“The salmonella outbreak almost seven years ago was the deadliest event of its kind in recent years,” according to CNN. “Federal and state disease detectives traced the deaths of nine people… to PCA's peanut processing plant in Blakely, Georgia. Another 714 people in 46 states were sickened, some critically.”
The scary thing is that there’s no way to avoid a situation like this. In this case, there was nothing consumers could do to make peanut butter safer.
3. Unpasteurized Milk
Remember this important rule of thumb when it comes to all-things-dairy. Never consume dairy products containing unpasteurized milk -- no matter what the recent “fad” is. If you do, you’re asking for trouble.
In fact, Food Safety News says that “raw milk and raw milk products are 150 times more likely than their pasteurized counterparts to sicken those who consume them, according to a 13-year review published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention…States that permit raw milk sales also have more than twice as many illness outbreaks as states where raw milk is not sold.”
Unpasteurized milk can be linked to many health issues, including salmonella. So make sure that all dairy products that you consume contain milk that has been pasteurized. Read the labels. And avoid foods made with unpasteurized milk.
4. Raw Cookie Dough
It’s no secret that raw cookie dough is the best treat known to man. But if you’re trying to avoid salmonella, you might want to think twice before licking that cookie-dough covered spoon.
That’s because raw cookie dough contains raw eggs. Not only are you putting yourself at risk of developing salmonella, you run the risk of developing other illnesses too.
There’s an easy way around this. Look for “edible” cookie dough that does not contain raw eggs or other hazardous ingredients. These products can be found in the dairy section of most grocery stores and will be labeled as such.
5. Chicken
Chicken is a preferred grilling favorite. However, it can also be a life-threatening cause of salmonella.
“Salmonella Heidelberg is a type of non-typhoidal Salmonella, an important cause of human illness in the United States and often linked to poultry,” according to the CDC. “About 100,000 illnesses per year are attributed to drug-resistant non-typhoidal Salmonella.”
To reduce the risk of obtaining salmonella from chicken, the CDC says that you need to remember four things: clean, separate, cook, and chill.
When it comes to cleaning, make hand hygiene a habit. “Wash hands with soapy water for 20 seconds before and after handling poultry,” says the CDC. In addition, “wash utensils, cutting boards, dishes, and countertops with hot soapy water after preparing each food item and before you go on to prepare the next item.”
Further, never mix poultry with other foods. “Separate poultry from other foods in your grocery-shopping card and in your refrigerator,” says the CDC. “If possible, use one cutting board for fresh produce and a separate one for raw poultry. Never place cooked food on a plate that previously held raw poultry.”
In addition, it’s important to cook poultry to the right temperature. The CDC says that this temperature is 165 degrees Fahrenheit. It’s also important to remember to refrigerate chicken promptly after cooking it. “Refrigerate…leftovers within 2 hours or 1 hour if temperatures are above ninety degrees Fahrenheit,” says the CDC.
6. Vegetables
Veggies are obviously some of the healthiest foods we can ingest. However, vegetables can also come with a risk of developing salmonella.
So just how does this happen?
There are several ways in which one can contract salmonella from vegetables. According to a Lifespan interview with Dr. Steven LaRosa, “vegetables can come into contact with contaminated water. A bacteria-carrying person who forgets to wash their hands before food preparation can contaminate vegetables. Vegetables can also become contaminated if placed in close proximity to or mixed with raw poultry, meat or eggs, and unpasteurized milk.”
There’s no rule when it comes to which vegetables can carry salmonella. “Any vegetable, or fruit, even, may be contaminated if in close proximity to bacteria-carrying sources,” says LaRosa in the interview. “For example, contaminated mangos and tomatoes each resulted in salmonella outbreaks in 1990, cantaloupes in 1991, and sprouts in 1996.”
When it comes to vegetables, hygiene is key. This is the best way to avoid salmonella.
“The best advice is…to wash your hands before contact with vegetables and to keep the raw vegetables far away from possibly contaminated foods and surfaces, such as raw poultry, meat and eggs, and the cooking surfaces they have touched,” says LaRosa in the interview.
In other words, never eat vegetables without washing your hands. And always wash any vegetables you plan to consume.