Other Surprising Foods (Besides Cookie Dough) That Could Be Contaminated With Bacteria
The FDA recently came out with a total buzzkill — okay, okay, did its job — by issuing a warning against eating raw cookie dough. Apparently, dozens of people across the country were struck ill with E. coli after going all Cookie Monster on sheets of unbaked goods, so sadly it looks like your days of licking the spoon are over. And, it gets worse — cookie dough isn’t the only indulgent treat where you have to worry about bacterial contamination. Here’s a list of other foods to be extra careful with.
1. Any Raw Dough: Nope, it’s not just your beloved chocolate chips, unfortunately. If you’re dealing with pizza dough, tortilla dough or cake batter, make sure you cook/bake them all the way through.
2. Chipotle: Wondering why your local Chipotle has been so eager to give you a free burrito lately? Damage control, baby. The chain has addressed their mass E. coli issue, but they’re still catching up from the hit they took in public perception. Proceed (and order extra guac) with caution.
3. Ice Cream: I scream, you scream, we all scream because there could be salmonella in our ice cream. If it’s pre-mixed, there’s risk of contaminated eggs being mixed into your hard ice cream, and soft ice cream is at risk for listeria. Between this and the cookie dough, you might have to (ugh) start eating fruits and vegetables as dessert.
4. Potatoes: Steak and potatoes seem like they’d be as basic as… well, steak and potatoes, but your starchy side dish has been known to be prone to salmonella and listeria.
5. Organic Foods and Produce: You might read a label that says “organic” and think that automatically means “good for you,” but there’s been an uptick in recalls of various organic foods in recent years due to bacterial contaminations and also mislabeling and the discovery of new allergens.
How do you protect yourself against contaminated foods? Tweet us your tips @BritandCo!
(Photos via Getty)
