In the supermarket, brands of yogurt, fruit, vegetables and cereals multiply health arguments to seduce us. However, if certain ingredients stand out for their benefits, others must absolutely be avoided. This is the case for three foods, included on the “black list” of health safety experts.
Pre-cut mangoes, melons and pineapples
If pre-cut fruits tend to make our daily lives easier, they can expose you to a “risk of life-threatening infection“, warn food safety experts interviewed by the Daily Mail.
In fact, according to American food chemist Dr Bryan Quoc, pre-cut pieces of mangoes, melons and pineapples are much more likely to contain harmful bacteria, such as the enterobacterium Escherichia coli, than whole fruits. This risk is explained by the fact that the (protective) skin has been removed, thus exposing the flesh which becomes a breeding ground for pathogens.
Raw sprouts (radishes, alfalfa, clover)
For her part, Professor Kali Kniel, a microbiologist at the University of Delaware, warns consumers of the risks associated with raw sprouts, these small green vegetables similar to watercress often added to salads, soups and sandwiches.
Just like pre-cut fresh fruit, these sprouts can harbor dangerous pathogens such as Escherichia coli, Listeria monocytogenes, or Salmonella.
According to the professor, this high rate of microorganisms is due to the cultivation process: it makes it difficult to “adequate disinfection to eliminate any salmonella that may be present”.
The only solution to avoid poisoning? Cook said sprouts perfectly.
Raw milk
Unsurprisingly, raw milk is at the top of the list of foods to ban. Dr Quoc therefore wishes to inform: “iThere are many people who tout (raw) milk as beneficial for their health. But it’s not worth taking that risk, because many disease-causing organisms are still alive in that milk, especially if it comes directly from a processing plant“, warns the scientist in the pages of the Mirror.
In fact, raw milk is unpasteurized milk: it has not been heated to more than 40 degrees, unlike pasteurized milk (72° minimum).
Aware of these dangers, health authorities recommend that the most vulnerable not consume raw milk or cheeses containing raw milk. These recommendations concern young children, particularly those under 5 years old, pregnant women and immunocompromised people.