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5 Of the Riskiest Foods Linked to Recalls

A new Consumer Reports study has ranked the riskiest foods. They analyzed data from the CDC, the Food and Drug Administration, and the Department of Agriculture between 2017 and 2022….

Close up of lettuce, cantaloupe, deli meats and cheeses, and ground beef
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A new Consumer Reports study has ranked the riskiest foods. They analyzed data from the CDC, the Food and Drug Administration, and the Department of Agriculture between 2017 and 2022. Their researchers focused on "widely consumed foods" that had recalls over a specific duration of time.

According to Consumers Reports, the CDC estimates that 48 million people each year fall ill from salmonella, listeria, E. coli, or other bacteria or viruses in food. They said most recover on their own after a few days. But about 130,000 people are hospitalized and 3,000 die from foodborne illnesses yearly.

Some of the foods that are ranked at the top of the list include bagged salads, poultry products, and deli meats. The top five are leafy greens, deli cheese and meat, ground beef, onions, and poultry. Bagged salads and other leafy greens ranked number one on the list. They found 50 different recalls linked to them since 2017. Also, it has the most caused deaths. Last on the list at number ten is flour. Unlike leafy greens, flour has had zero total deaths.

"We aren’t saying people need to avoid these foods entirely," says Brian Ronholm, director of food policy at CR, who led the analysis. "After all, these foods are all usually safe, and many of them are in fact important parts of a healthy diet." Ronholm continued to say in Consumers Report that the list underscores the "importance of following best food safety practices with all of your foods, including knowing how to track, and respond, to food recalls when they happen." Read the entire list, and learn how you can reduce your risk at Consumer Reports.

#5: Poultry

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We won't get into it, but poultry livestock is often kept in pretty gnarly conditions. That can lead to salmonella. Poultry should be cooked at at least 165 degrees Fahrenheit.


#4: Onions

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Consumer Reports cites an FDA investigation that suggested that contaminated irrigation water was the most likely cause for salmonella here, too. It also identified livestock on nearby land and droppings from birds and other wild animals as possible sources.


#3: Ground Beef

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Deadly strains of E. coli can get from feedlots and pastures can get into beef itself, transferring from a cow’s gut to the meat during slaughter.


#2: Deli Meats And Cheeses

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Listeria flourishes, everywhere, and cold temperatures are not a defense. Consumer Reports actually advises to avoid cold cuts, or limit how often you have them. Listeria isn't pretty.


#1: Leafy Greens

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This was a bit of a surprise to us. Consumer Reports postulates that this is because of contaminated water used to irrigate the fields in California and Arizona, where most of the lettuce is grown in the U.S.