WHICH FOODS POSE THE GREATEST RISK? Foods of animal origin are the primary source of many food poisoning microbes, such as Salmonella, Listeria, Campylobacter, E coli and L monocytogenes. These may occur on the live animal, and remain in the meat after slaughter. Without appropriate treatment to kill the microbes, or if conditions of hygiene or temperature control are poor, microbes may still occasionally be present in the final food product. Foods which pose a relatively high risk of foodborne illness include: Poultry, meat & eggs - The incidence of contamination is probably highest in poultry. Here, rapid growth in poultry production has resulted in a readily-available source of meat. However, there has been increased infection with food poisoning microbes in poultry, meat and eggs. Eggs can carry bacteria such as Salmonella enteritidis on their shells or within the egg. Salmonella infections are on the increase across Europe. An important precaution in preventing foodborne illness from poultry and eggs is thorough cooking; the World Health Organisation recommends that raw egg should be viewed as a potentially hazardous ingredient which should not be used in foods which will receive no further heat treatment. Red meats - These can also be contaminated with pathogenic microbes, probably to a lesser extent than poultry. The process of grinding meat to make mince and burgers may spread the microbes from one source into many products. As for poultry products, red meats should be thoroughly cooked before serving. Dairy products - Raw milk can contain various pathogens from the dairy animal or its environment. Pasteurization destroys all pathogens, and sterilisation ensures that the product is free from all microbes. Whilst pathogens are inactivated by many of the methods used to produce dairy products - including acidification and fermentation of milk - certain types may sometimes survive. Hard cheeses, yoghurt and butter are regarded as safe because of their acidity or lack of moisture, but mould-ripened soft cheeses can allow growth of Listeria monocytogenes. Shellfish - As filter feeders which extract their diets from large volumes of water, shellfish can concentrate pathogens in their bodies. Inadequately heat-treated shellfish can cause a range of infections due to bacteria (such as Vibrio and Shigella), various parasites or viruses. Herbs and spices - These frequently carry large numbers of bacteria such as Bacillus cereus, Clostridium perfringens and Salmonella.
Taken from: http://www.eufic.org/article/en/page/RARCHIVE/expid/review-foodborne-illness/
