8 Foods You Should Never Eat Raw: Nutritionist-Approved Safety Guide

Proper cooking and handling safeguard you from hidden pathogens in pantry staples.

By Medha deb

Created on Sep 23, 2025

Proper cooking and handling safeguard you from hidden pathogens in pantry staples.

8 Foods You Should Never Eat Raw, According to Nutritionists

Raw food diets often tout health benefits, but not all foods are safe to consume uncooked. Nutritionists and food safety experts emphasize that some ingredients can harbor harmful bacteria, toxins, or pathogens when eaten raw. Below, discover eight foods you should always cook—and why safe handling and preparation is critical for your health.

Poultry

Raw chicken and turkey are notorious for carrying dangerous bacteria like Salmonella and Campylobacter, which can cause severe foodborne illnesses including cramps, vomiting, diarrhea, and fever. These pathogens survive on both the surface and deep within the meat, making thorough cooking absolutely essential. To kill bacteria:

Understanding the nuances of food safety is imperative for everyone who cooks. For detailed, practical advice on safe food handling practices, explore our essential food safety tips that every cook should know. Being proactive can prevent potential foodborne illnesses and ensure your meals are safe and enjoyable.

Cook poultry until it reaches an internal temperature of 165°F.
Check the thickest part of the meat with a food thermometer for accuracy.
Avoid rinsing raw poultry before cooking, as this can spread bacteria across your kitchen.

Why It Matters: Eating undercooked poultry increases your risk for serious infections requiring medical care. Always use safe kitchen practices and wash hands, utensils, and cutting boards after handling raw poultry.

Ground Beef

While some dishes—like steak tartare and rare burgers—feature raw or lightly cooked beef, nutritionists strongly advise caution with ground beef. Grinding meat can introduce bacteria from the surface into the center, where it can survive light cooking. Common pathogens include E. coli and Salmonella.

One misstep in the kitchen can lead to severe illness, especially with ground beef. To equip yourself with necessary precautions and strategies, check out our essential guide to keeping your food safe at home and when dining out. This guide offers valuable insights that can help you avoid potential health risks.

Cook ground beef to an internal temperature of 160°F.
Do not rinse raw ground beef, as splashes can spread bacteria in your kitchen.

Potential Risks: Food poisoning from undercooked ground beef can cause both mild and severe symptoms, including abdominal pain and dehydration. Pregnant women, young children, and the elderly are especially vulnerable.

Shellfish

Raw shellfish—including oysters, clams, mussels, shrimp, and lobster—can harbor Vibrio bacteria and viruses like norovirus. These cause severe gastrointestinal illnesses and, for those with weakened immune systems, can be life-threatening.

Cook shellfish thoroughly: For bivalves (oysters, clams, mussels), cook until the shells open.
Shrimp and lobster should be cooked to an internal temperature of 145°F.
Insert a probe into the thickest portion for best accuracy.

Food safety extends beyond just cooking; it requires awareness of broader issues affecting our food supply. For critical insights related to avian disease impacts on your chicken safety, consult our expert guidance on whether chicken is safe to eat during the bird flu outbreaks. Your health and safety should always come first.

Expert Tip: Never eat shellfish that do not open during cooking; if a shell remains tightly shut, dispose of it as it may not be safe to eat.

Eggs

Raw and undercooked eggs may carry Salmonella, a bacteria that can contaminate eggs both inside and outside the shell. Symptoms from infection range from upset stomach to fever and more serious complications in vulnerable populations.

Cook eggs until both yolks and whites are completely firm.
Dishes like casseroles or quiches should reach an internal temperature of 160°F.

Safety Note: Avoid tasting or licking spoonfuls of raw egg batter when baking; even a small amount may pose a risk. Pasteurized eggs are an alternative for recipes that require raw eggs.

Cooking eggs properly is just one aspect of maintaining a healthy diet. For those curious about how certain foods, such as lectin-rich items, impact health, discover our insights on foods high in lectins: their risks, benefits, and reduction methods. Understanding how to minimize these can enhance the safety of your meals.

Sprouts

Raw sprouts (like alfalfa, mung bean, and radish) are praised for their nutritional benefits but are uniquely susceptible to bacterial contamination. The sprouting process involves warm, moist conditions ideal for growth of Salmonella, E. coli, and Listeria.

Risk is especially high for pregnant women, children, and older adults.
Cook sprouts for just two minutes to kill illness-causing bacteria.

Food Safety Advice: Only purchase fresh sprouts and discard any with sliminess or foul odor. If symptoms of food poisoning occur after consuming sprouts, seek medical attention promptly.

Flour

While flour is often overlooked as a raw food, most commercial flour is not heat-treated and can contain E. coli and Salmonella. Grains may be infected in the field, or bacteria can be introduced during processing.

Flour may seem innocuous, but raw consumption can lead to serious health risks. To learn more about how to safely handle this common ingredient and avoid E. coli exposure, be sure to read our safety guide on the Romaine Lettuce E. Coli outbreak and the important measures to protect yourself.

Never eat raw dough or batter—always bake or cook before consuming.
Wash hands and surfaces after handling flour to avoid cross-contamination.

Key Point: Foods like raw cookie dough, cake batter, and homemade playdough should always be cooked. Ready-to-eat packaged versions use heat-treated flour for safety.

Beans

Raw beans—especially kidney beans—contain phytohemagglutinin, a naturally occurring toxin that can cause intense stomach upset (nausea, vomiting, diarrhea). Even a small handful of raw beans can trigger symptoms.

Boil dried beans vigorously for at least 10 minutes before eating or using in recipes.
Canned beans are pre-cooked and safe to eat without further preparation.

Extra Info: Never use the soaking water from raw beans in cooking—discard it before boiling.

When it comes to beans, proper preparation is crucial to avoid toxins. Enhance your knowledge with our comprehensive guide on the recent Salmonella outbreak linked to kosher chicken. This resource provides timely information that is essential for anyone who handles poultry and beans in the kitchen.

Unpasteurized Milk

Unpasteurized (raw) milk skips the critical step of pasteurization, a heat process that kills disease-causing pathogens. Without pasteurization, milk can harbor Salmonella, E. coli, Listeria, and Campylobacter.

The CDC advises everyone to avoid unpasteurized milk and dairy products.
Store all perishable dairy at or below 40°F to prevent bacterial growth.
Choose only pasteurized products, including cheese, yogurt, and ice cream.

Why Pasteurize? Unpasteurized dairy can transmit viruses like avian flu and cause outbreaks of serious illness, especially in children and seniors. Most commercial dairy in the U.S. is pasteurized by law.

Quick Reference Table: Foods You Should Never Eat Raw

Food	Main Risk	Safe Preparation
Poultry	Salmonella, Campylobacter	Cook to 165°F
Ground Beef	E. coli, Salmonella	Cook to 160°F
Shellfish	Vibrio, Norovirus	Cook to 145°F; open shells
Eggs	Salmonella	Firm yolks & whites; 160°F for casseroles
Sprouts	Salmonella, E. coli, Listeria	Cook for 2+ min
Flour	E. coli, Salmonella	Bake/cook fully
Beans	Phytohemagglutinin (toxin)	Boil 10+ min or eat canned
Unpasteurized Milk	Salmonella, Listeria, E. coli	Drink only pasteurized

Safe Food Handling Tips

Always wash your hands before and after handling raw foods.
Use separate cutting boards for meat and produce.
Cook high-risk foods to the proper temperature using a reliable food thermometer.
Store perishable foods promptly in the refrigerator.
Discard expired foods and leftovers after 3–4 days.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q: Why are some foods unsafe to eat raw?

A: Certain foods contain bacteria, viruses, or toxins that may persist unless destroyed by cooking, increasing your risk for foodborne illness.

Q: Can you eat rare steak or sushi safely?

A: Sushi-grade fish is flash-frozen to kill parasites, making it generally safe when prepared by reputable sources. Rare steak is less risky than ground beef because bacteria are primarily on the surface and get killed when seared. However, always follow food safety guidelines and be aware of increased risks.

Q: What are the symptoms of food poisoning?

A: Typical symptoms include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, stomach cramps, fever, and sometimes chills. Symptoms often develop hours to days after eating contaminated food.

Q: Who is most at risk for complications?

A: Pregnant women, young children, seniors, and people with weakened immune systems are especially vulnerable to severe illness from foodborne pathogens.

Q: How can I be sure my food is safe?

A: Use a food thermometer for meats, poultry, and casseroles. Boil dried beans and avoid unpasteurized products. Cook flour-containing doughs and batters fully. Observe color, texture, and any unusual smells, discarding spoiled or questionable items promptly.

Conclusion

Consuming raw foods may seem healthy, but the risks outlined above far outweigh any perceived benefits for these eight categories. Proper cooking and safe handling remain the best defense against foodborne illness. Always follow nutritionist recommendations for safe eating so you can enjoy meals with confidence and peace of mind.

References

Author

medha deb

Medha Deb is an editor with a master's degree in Applied Linguistics from the University of Hyderabad. She believes that her qualification has helped her develop a deep understanding of language and its application in various contexts.

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