15 of the most dangerous foods on the planet

This seems like a broad category, we know. But almost 30% of deaths from foodborne illnesses originate in meat and poultry, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). And overall, pathogens in food are a bigger killer than allergens or toxic chemicals – the CDC estimates that about one in every six Americans gets sick from food each year, and around 3000 of those people die. So make sure your meat and poultry are cooked to appropriate temperatures (45° Celsius for cuts of beef and pork, and 70° Celsius for mincemeat and poultry).

“Pasteurising milk reduces or removes potential hazards,” says associate professor at the Department of Food Science, Amanda Kinchla,. Although raw dairy has an enthusiastic following among people who say it tastes better than pasteurised milk (which has been heated to kill pathogens) and can cure eczema, the CDC points out that almost 2000 illnesses and 144 hospitalisations were attributed to outbreaks of germs from raw dairy products between 1993 and 2012 in the US. Raw milk, soft cheese, ice cream and yoghurt are all risky.

Whether you are allergic, vegan or you just want to avoid dairy, don’t be fooled by some of these foods that contain dairy.

Paul Dawson, a food science professor, says he doesn’t eat raw sprouts if he doesn’t know where they’ve come from. Although raw sprouts look like a health food, they’re grown in warm, humid conditions that can also be ideal for the proliferation of pathogenic bacteria, says Foodsafety.gov. Kids, elderly people and pregnant women are most susceptible to illness from contaminated sprouts.

“Statistics on food allergy deaths vary,” Dawson says. “But the CDC reported that there are about 11 deaths in the US each year due to an allergic reaction to food.” Although food allergies are less deadly than foodborne illnesses, individuals who live with them have to be very vigilant about their meals and surroundings. For those who are allergic to peanuts, exposure to even a tiny amount can cause symptoms that range from a runny nose to full-on anaphylaxis, when the throat swells, making it difficult or impossible to breathe. Peanut allergies are the most common cause of food-related anaphylaxis, according to Mayo Clinic. Most people who are aware of their peanut allergy carry an epinephrine injector.

Prawns, crab, lobster, clams, mussels, oysters and scallops are a double-threat to some people: shellfish are one of the food allergens that most commonly lead to deadly anaphylaxis, and raw shellfish are also one of the most common causes of foodborne illnesses. Raw oysters, in particular, can be contaminated by Vibrio bacteria, which can cause gastrointestinal problems, bloodstream infections, skin blistering and even death, according to the CDC. (The agency takes pains to point out that hot sauce, lemon juice, and alcohol do not kill bacteria, but proper cooking does.)

Cooking habits can also contribute to health risks. Check out these 9 cooking mistakes that can make your food more toxic.

The American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology estimates that up to 40% of people who are allergic to peanuts are also allergic to at least one tree nut, a category that includes almonds, cashews, walnuts and pine nuts. Along with peanuts and shellfish, it’s one of the primary causes of anaphylaxis.

For most of us, this sweet and pretty yellow fruit is safe to eat, but that’s only because our kidneys filter out a neurotoxin called caramboxin, according to Phys.org. For people with kidney disease, starfruit can actually be deadly, because caramboxin – which the diseased kidneys can’t clear – can reach the brain and cause severe symptoms including hiccups that won’t stop, vomiting, weakness and confusion. Without dialysis, patients can suffer long seizures, comas and death.

“There are chemicals inside of cherry pits that can liberate cyanide,” says food toxicologist Carl K. Winter. But that doesn’t mean you have to swear off cherries: “The first principle in toxicology is that the dose makes the poison,” Winter says, and the amount of cherry pips one would have to eat to suffer the ill effects of cyanide exposure is unrealistically large. But to stay safe, simply spit out the pips.

Cherries can also be healing. Discover 20 old-time home remedies that actually work.

Cherries aren’t the only fruit with poisonous seeds. “Many seeds and pits contain compounds that, when eaten, are digested into cyanide,” Dawson says. “These compounds are collectively known as nitrilosides, which have been proposed as actually being an essential nutrient. However, when consumed in extremely high concentrations, hydrogen cyanide can reach dangerous levels in the body.”

“If you’re an experienced mycologist, it’s a great hobby for you,” Winter says. “You know what you’re doing, you know what to avoid.” If, on the other hand, you’re not completely sure what kind of mushroom you’re looking at, don’t pick it. The death cap mushroom’s toxins totally resist cooking and will cause severe illness within hours, leading to coma and eventually death in half of the people who eat it, according to Britannica.com. Numerous other slightly less toxic varieties can cause long-term liver and kidney damage if ingested.