What are the most dangerous foods?
Again, that depends on how you look at the issue. Certain foods are especially dangerous for some people because of the likelihood that they contain a particular pathogen. For example, Listeria monocytogenes rarely causes illness in the general population, but if a pregnant woman becomes infected, the developing fetus also may become infected and may die. Foods that are safe for most people may be deadly for a small group of people. Some foods may be rarely contaminated, but the pathogen of concern may be especially virulent. For example, the incidence of Escherichia coli O157:H7 in raw ground beef is approximately 1%, so the risk the food will be contaminated is relatively low. However, only a few cells of E. coli O157:H7 are necessary to cause illness, so when a contaminated food is consumed without sufficient cooking, illness is more likely. In general, raw foods often present a higher risk of foodborne illness than properly cooked foods, because many pathogens are sensitive to heat.