5 Foods That Pose the Highest Food Safety Risk for Contamination

Food safety should be first and foremost on your mind when you are planning on earning your Texas Food Handlers Certificate. It is imperative to know what types of food are at the highest risk for contamination and how to prevent them from impacting your customers and your business.

At Certified On The Fly we are committed to the education of food safety, and have come up with a list of five foods that are extremely prone to contamination risk.

 

1. Poultry

If not handled properly, raw and undercooked poultry (i.e. chicken and duck) have an extremely high contamination risk. The most common risks for these types of foods are salmonella and campylobacter bacteria. These bacteria are often present in the raw meat until cooking kills them off. This is why you should always make sure poultry is fully cooked before consumption and that anything the raw meat touches is properly washed and sanitized.

 

2. Eggs

Salmonella is also an issue with one of the biggest breakfast foods in the world. What is dangerous about the egg is that even a contaminated egg will not look, smell, or taste any different than an uncontaminated egg.

In order to avoid egg contamination, do not consume raw eggs or taste recipes that have raw eggs in them while they are being prepared. We recommend you purchase uncracked eggs and store them in your refrigerator.

 

3. Dairy Products

Dairy products like milk, cheese, and butter are also susceptible to contamination. Most of these contaminants stem from pesticides that are given to animals to “protect” their milk and meat. Also, you put yourself at risk to E. coli, salmonella, or listeria if you opt to consume raw milk. Always think twice about where your dairy is coming from and how you are storing it in a way that promotes food safety that lives up to the Texas Food Handler Certification standard.

 

4. Coffee

One surprising food on this list is coffee. Most coffee is cultivated in areas of the world where regulations on chemicals and pesticides are nonexistent. Some of the pesticides used in the growth of coffee are so dangerous that they are illegal to use on American farms.

In order to ensure that your coffee is not a victim of poor agricultural practices, seek out “Fair Trade” coffee for your establishment.

 

5. Seafood

It should be common sense that all seafoods must be stored properly from catch to preparation. There are many different illnesses that can come from contaminated seafood, depending on the seafood itself. Make sure to properly handle your seafoods and shellfish products to help prevent the spread of histamine or ciguatera poisoning.

 

Learn About Food Safety and Get Certified with Certified On The Fly

Food safety is something that all people need to understand as they enter the food service industry. If you have any questions about food safety or how to obtain a Texas Food Handlers Card, contact Certified On The Fly today.

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