Green salad, rice, raw honey or even cooked meat can very well cause food poisoning, contrary to popular belief.
Did you know that a lettuce leaf can make you sick? Many foods can cause food poisoning, even those that seem safe to you.
lettuces
Unwashed fruits and vegetables can carry certain bacteria that are dangerous to health. During the summer of 2018, 5 people died in California after consuming lettuce contaminated with E. Coli bacteria. You should know that the fruits and vegetables that are peeled are not free from danger: certain chemicals or other bacteria can touch the heart of the product. Fresh juices, not pasteurized or treated, can also be a source of contamination.
red beans
Vegetables sometimes contain toxins, which are dangerous when present in large quantities. Potatoes contain glycoalkaloid: this toxin can cause nausea and diarrhea when ingested in large quantities. To avoid this, the potatoes must be peeled, removing the shoots and green areas, and stored in the shade. Kidney beans also produce a potentially toxic substance. Phytohemagglutinin can make you sick if you eat undercooked or undercooked beans. In India, in 2017, lychees caused the death of hundreds of children: a toxin present in the fruit causes hypoglycemia, yet this region is affected by serious nutrition problems. The children ate it on an empty stomach and were victims of encephalopathy.
The cereals
Grain, nut and legume flours can also carry bacteria like E. Coli, or contain whole grains contaminated with animal feces. If the flour is eaten raw, humans can get sick.
Rice contains Bacillus cereus, a bacterium, at a level that is not dangerous for humans. But if it is kept cooked for too long and at room temperature, these bacteria multiply quickly and can cause diarrhea or nausea.
cooked meats
The probable contamination of raw meats is known, but that of cooked meats is much less so. The storage temperature of the latter is responsible for the reproduction of bacteria. A roast chicken left for more than two hours at a temperature of 15°C can be infected. We speak of a “danger zone” between 4 and 60°C, if cooked meats remain at this temperature for more than two hours, they must be thrown away to avoid any risk.
sweet products
Products containing uncooked eggs must be the subject of the greatest vigilance. Ice cream, for example, can contain salmonella because of the eggs that make it up. Raw honey, ie honey that is not pasteurized, can also contain bacteria, Clostridium botulinum or grayanotoxins. These two products can cause serious poisoning.
Food poisoning usually passes on its own. It can be more dangerous for the elderly, children or people who are malnourished.