10 riskiest foods

Food for Thought:

The Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) recently issued a list of the top 10 riskiest foods regulated by the FDA, based on the number of related outbreaks of food-borne illness reported since 1990. Although it may seem counterintuitive, the list of offenders included a fair share of “healthy” foods, such as spinach, berries and tomatoes.

The severity of the effects tracked by the FDA ranged from minor stomach aches to death. In the case of leafy greens, the number-one riskiest food, the associated illnesses were attributed to pathogens such as E. coli, norovirus and Salmonella. Salmonella was also cited as the primary culprit in outbreaks involving eggs, cheese and tomatoes, whereas potatoes were linked with both E. coli and Salmonella.

According to the CSPI, here are the top 10 riskiest foods currently regulated by the FDA, in descending order:

1. leafy greens 2. eggs 3. tuna 4. oysters 5. potatoes

6. cheese 7. ice cream 8. tomatoes 9. sprouts 10. berries

Diane Lofshult

IDEA Author/Presenter

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Diane Lofshult is a contributing editor for IDEA Fitness Journal and an award-winning free... morelance author who specializes in nutrition and weight management topics. She is the founder of In Other Words, an editorial consulting firm based in Solana Beach, California. Reach her at lofshult@roadrunner.com. less

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