If you’re concerned about food poisoning, knowing which foods pose the greatest risk is crucial. Consumer Reports has identified the top 10 foods most commonly linked to foodborne illnesses and recalls in 2024. This list is based on outbreaks, hospitalizations, and recalls across the U.S., highlighting foods that should be consumed with extra caution. Below are the 10 riskiest foods that may increase your chances of food poisoning and how you can protect yourself.

1. Deli Meat

  • Illnesses: 165

  • Hospitalizations: 87

  • Deaths: 10

  • Bacteria: Listeria, Salmonella

Why It’s Risky: Deli meats are often processed and served cold, providing plenty of opportunities for contamination with Listeria. Recent outbreaks, including one linked to Boar’s Head, have resulted in widespread hospitalizations and deaths.

How to Protect Yourself:

  • Heat deli meat to kill bacteria.

  • Consider buying prepackaged cold cuts to avoid deli counters, which may expose the meat to pathogens.

  • If at risk of severe illness, avoid deli meats entirely.

2. Cucumbers

  • Illnesses: 664

  • Hospitalizations: 173

  • Deaths: 0

  • Bacteria: Salmonella

Why It’s Risky: Cucumbers can become contaminated with Salmonella during their growth process, especially if irrigation water is contaminated with animal waste. Recent outbreaks have caused illnesses across multiple states.

How to Protect Yourself:

  • Choose cucumbers without bruises or damaged skin.

  • Wash and peel cucumbers before consumption to reduce the risk.

3. Raw Milk and Raw Milk Cheese

  • Illnesses: 182

  • Hospitalizations: 29

  • Deaths: 0

  • Bacteria: Salmonella, E. coli

Why It’s Risky: Raw milk and cheese are not pasteurized, meaning harmful bacteria can thrive in them. Salmonella and E. coli outbreaks have been linked to unpasteurized dairy products in recent years.

How to Protect Yourself:

  • Avoid consuming raw milk.

  • Ensure raw milk cheese is aged for at least 60 days to lower bacterial risks.

4. Cotija and Queso Fresco Cheese

  • Illnesses: 26

  • Hospitalizations: 23

  • Deaths: 2

  • Bacteria: Listeria

Why It’s Risky: These soft cheeses are prone to contamination due to their high moisture content. A recall of queso fresco and cotija cheese was linked to a Listeria outbreak that caused several hospitalizations and deaths.

How to Protect Yourself:

  • Avoid unheated soft cheeses.

  • Wash your hands and cooking surfaces after handling soft cheeses.

5. Eggs

  • Illnesses: 93

  • Hospitalizations: 34

  • Deaths: 0

  • Bacteria: Salmonella

Why It’s Risky: Eggs can be contaminated with Salmonella, either on the shell or inside the egg. Recent recalls have been linked to Salmonella outbreaks.

How to Protect Yourself:

  • Don’t consume eggs with broken shells.

  • Cook eggs thoroughly to kill bacteria.

  • Consider using pasteurized eggs for recipes requiring uncooked eggs.

6. Onions

  • Illnesses: 104

  • Hospitalizations: 34

  • Deaths: 1

  • Bacteria: E. coli

Why It’s Risky: Onions can become contaminated through contact with bacteria in soil or irrigation water. A recent E. coli outbreak was linked to contaminated onions, leading to widespread illnesses.

How to Protect Yourself:

  • Choose whole onions over pre-sliced onions to minimize the risk of contamination.

  • Peel away the outer layers before chopping.

7. Leafy Greens

  • Illnesses: 117

  • Hospitalizations: 36

  • Deaths: 1

  • Bacteria: E. coli

Why It’s Risky: Like other produce, leafy greens can become contaminated with bacteria from livestock runoff. A recent outbreak linked to romaine lettuce caused multiple hospitalizations and one death.

How to Protect Yourself:

  • Opt for hydroponic lettuce, which is less likely to be contaminated by livestock runoff.

  • Discard the outer layers of lettuce before consuming.

8. Organic Carrots

  • Illnesses: 48

  • Hospitalizations: 20

  • Deaths: 1

  • Bacteria: E. coli

Why It’s Risky: Organic carrots, like other produce, may become contaminated during the growing or processing stages. Recent E. coli outbreaks have been linked to organic carrots.

How to Protect Yourself:

  • Cook carrots thoroughly to kill bacteria.

  • Wash and peel carrots to reduce the risk of contamination.

9. Organic Basil

  • Illnesses: 36

  • Hospitalizations: 4

  • Deaths: 0

  • Bacteria: Salmonella

Why It’s Risky: Fresh herbs, including basil, can be contaminated with Salmonella from bacteria in soil or irrigation water, and they are typically eaten raw.

How to Protect Yourself:

  • Rinse herbs thoroughly before use.

  • Cook raw herbs before consuming them to eliminate bacteria.

10. Cooked Poultry and Meat

  • Illnesses: 0

  • Hospitalizations: 0

  • Deaths: 0

  • Bacteria: Listeria

Why It’s Risky: Pre-cooked meats are highly processed and may be exposed to pathogens after cooking. Several outbreaks of Listeria have been linked to pre-cooked poultry and meat products.

How to Protect Yourself:

  • Always heat frozen foods before consumption.

  • Refrigerate packaged sandwiches and salads with pre-cooked meat.

Conclusion

Foodborne illness remains a serious risk for many popular foods, and Consumer Reports’ list of risky foods highlights the importance of handling and cooking these items safely. By following the proper precautions and staying aware of any recalls, you can help protect yourself from potential foodborne illnesses.