These Restaurant Foods Are Most Likely To Cause Food Poisoning

Nothing will ruin your evening — and week — like a bout of food poisoning. You know all kinds of ways to steer clear of food poisoning in your home, like getting rid of your cracked dishes instead of trying to get one more use out of them, and being cautious of cross-contamination while you cook. But what about when you're eating out? You're putting a lot of trust in what goes on in a kitchen, and while there are sure signs something's not right (like dirty bathrooms and utensils that haven't been washed), that doesn't cover all your potential pitfalls. Are some menu choices more likely to leave you running for the bathroom?

Absolutely, and sometimes, food poisoning just happens. Some foods are definitely more prone to make you sick and sometimes, it's through no fault of the restaurant. It might be how you order something prepared, or it might be contaminated from the source. So, if you have a big night out planned, a meeting in the morning, or a fun weekend you're looking forward to, what should you skip to help make sure you're not going to ruin it?

First, what are we talking about when we say warm-water, reef-dwelling fish? We're talking about fish that come from areas like the Mediterranean, Caribbean, and the Gulf of Mexico, and particularly carnivorous fish that live in coral reefs. Those are things like grouper, barracuda, sea bass, sturgeon, and moray eel, and you should avoid these because according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, these are the types of fish most likely to cause ciguatera fish poisoning.

It's a huge deal, and it's caused by the presence of G. toxicus in coral reefs. They're first eaten by small fish, and as they move up the food chain they become more and more concentrated until they finally get to the top: us. Around 50,000 people a year experience this terrifying type of food poisoning, with symptoms that include the usual gastrointestinal distress but also fatigue and insomnia, weakness, acute sensitivity to hot and cold, and even a sensation some of your teeth are loose. Some of these neurological symptoms can last for years, so next time you're on vacation, skip the sea bass.

In 2018, dozens of people from states all across the US fell ill to food poisoning linked to romaine lettuce. The CDC issued regular updates, and recommended people stay away from romaine until the outbreak was deemed to be over, particularly avoiding lettuce grown in Arizona.

Unfortunately, food poisoning from leafy greens and raw vegetables is nothing new. Bill Marler is an attorney who specializes in food safety law, and when he talked to the Miami New Times about some of the dangers facing consumers in the 21st century, he pointed to leafy greens as one of the biggest. They're often exposed to bacteria in the growing and processing steps, but since they're not cooked, they don't go through what he calls a "kill step".

Marler says the problem is compounded when you eat out. While you might be careful about washing greens at home, restaurants typically use pre-washed or bagged greens. Any bit of bacteria still left on them will grow in the fridge, so he recommends skipping the salad and ordering a side of cooked veggies for a starter.

We've talked a bit about how the weird trend of raw water can be pretty dangerous, and the same goes for the raw or unpasteurized products you might see on the menus of your favorite cafe or bistro. Everyone loves the idea of eating locally sourced food and supporting farmers right in your own neighborhood, and there's nothing wrong with that. But according to food safety attorney Bill Marler (via the Miami New Times), ordering fresh, raw, and unpasteurized milk can be a huge problem.

He's seen dozens and dozens of people fall ill because of the bacteria not just in unpasteurized milk, but in raw fruit juice and cider, too. He adds that even small, organic farms can be the source for this kind of food poisoning, and according to British Columbia's HealthLink BC, there were around 1,700 cases of this kind of food poisoning reported between 2000 and 2010 (in all of North America). Juice from apples, oranges, lemons, pineapple, coconut, and bananas have all been culprits, and most instances involve children, E coli., and Salmonella. Contamination occurs when the juice is squeezed, and they say that refrigeration absolutely won't kill bacteria — only pasteurization will, so go ahead and skip that raw juice option.

It doesn't matter where you're eating or how clean and careful a restaurant is, opting for raw oysters is always going to put you at risk of food poisoning. That's because most oysters come from waters that are also home to a bacteria called Vibrio, and FoodSafety.gov says it's very, very likely oysters are exposed. Around 80,000 people a year get sick from vibriosis and an average of 100 people die from it, so it's definitely something you don't want to mess with.

The CDC also says you can't see, smell, or taste contamination, and that it can happen any time of the year and in any temperature of water. Fully cooking oysters is the only way to make sure any of this potentially devastating bacteria is killed, and this stuff is no joke. While some people only get the typical symptoms of food poisoning, extreme cases can result in skin lesions and might even mean limb amputations. They also add that no, alcohol and lemon juice isn't going to kill Vibrio, either, and seafood safety is just good common sense.

Sure, the best part of a buffet might be the carvery, but you might want to rethink asking someone to slice off a big hunk of roast beef for you. The CDC names large roasts as one of the most common sources for C. perfringens, a type of bacteria that causes somewhere around a million cases of food poisoning each and every year.

Why roasts? There are a few reasons, and the first is that this particular type of bacteria prefers oxygen-free environments, like the middle of a giant hunk of meat. Because roasts are usually prepped and cooked in advance of a meal service then kept warm before and during the meal, they're the perfect environment for this bacteria.

Strangely, some people normally have C. perfringens living in their intestines. Problems really start to happen when it's ingested, though, because it multiplies incredibly quickly and in high numbers can cause not just food poisoning, but complications like severe dehydration.

You've heard of staph, and it's actually normally found in about a quarter of perfectly healthy people and animals. And that's the problem — all those people and animals are carriers, and the CDC says they can contaminate food in the process of preparation.

That's why deli sandwiches and wraps with sliced meats are on the list of things you should probably avoid when you're heading out to grab lunch at a restaurant. The CDC describes the perfect vehicle for Staph as uncooked foods directly handled by people, and sliced meats are at the top of the list. There's no outward signs there's anything wrong with the food, and if you do happen to get it, antibiotics aren't going to help you.

If you're still determined to get that fresh-sliced deli sandwich, do yourself a favor and at least pass on the ham and other cold cuts with high sodium content. Staph thrives in salt-rich environments, and that makes sliced ham pretty much paradise.

Restaurants tend to be proud of their specially-prepared sauces, seasonings, rubs, and dips. While you should absolutely opt in when it comes to things like signature BBQ sauce, you might want to rethink restaurant-made mayo.

Australia's Good Food warns of the dangers, and says it's played a fairly large part in the cases of salmonella they've seen in recent years. In 2015, one woman died after eating mayo prepared with raw eggs, and the Victorian Department of Health reported dozens and dozens of others have suffered from effects of severe food poisoning after eating mayo prepared in-house at a cafe using free-range eggs. Even though they say the country typically has a low incidence of salmonella-contaminated eggs, it's absolutely not worth the risk. Mayo-related outbreaks have happened in other places, too, like a 1996 outbreak in Saudi Arabia. While it might be tempting — and easy to forget that there are raw eggs in mayo — it might not be worth the risk.

The next time you hit the Chinese buffet or order from the local takeout restaurant, there's a good reason to think twice about the rice — and definitely think twice about the egg fried rice, especially if it's not prepared to order. Fried rice is so commonly a culprit in food poisoning cases that it's even given the name "fried rice syndrome" to the type of food poisoning caused by the bacteria Bacillus cereus. LiveScience says that while most cases are mild, there are more than 63,000 of those cases each and every year — and most have been traced back to rice.

The problem happens when rice is cooked and then left at improper temperature. It only takes a few hours for the growth of illness-causing B. cereus to start, and health experts warn that reheating rice doesn't kill the bacteria that's already started to grow. Additionally, USA Today says that since restaurants often prepare large quantities of rice for, say, an evening meal, there's a definite chance it's going to cool into the danger zone before it's served. Bottom line? Not only should you not reheat that container of fried rice you only got halfway through last night, but you might want to skip the rice completely.

While it might seem like you're making a responsible choice when you pick water or iced tea with a slice of lemon over a sugary soda, there might be a massive catch. In 2019, published research from the University of Florida's Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences looked at just how likely salmonella was to survive on the surface of a lemon or lime that was then dunked in your drink, or put on the side of a glass. They found that yes, lemons and limes contaminated by improper handling can definitely transfer bacteria into your drink, and ultimately lead to a nasty case of food poisoning.

Additionally, researchers also say that there's something else to consider here, too. In many places, it's servers, wait staff, and bartenders who are making the drinks, and unless they're really, really, really careful, there's a higher risk that they're going to be transferring some unwanted hitchhikers onto those garnishes. Unless they're washing their hands pretty faithfully, it's the nature of the job. 

Think asking for a squirt of lemon juice might be safer? It's possible, but it's also worth noting that according to LiveStrong, lemon juice that's gone past the expiration date can turn sour, and contain all kinds of bacteria that will make you just as sick.

Who doesn't love a nice Caesar salad? Sadly, it's entirely possible that the salad might not love you back, and we're not just talking about the fat and calories in that dressing. It turns out that there might be something else hiding in there, and it's salmonella.

The problem, says the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, is that Caesar dressing is typically made with raw eggs. You can't see salmonella at a glance, but it can still be there — and given that the way to kill it is to cook those eggs to at least 160 fahrenheit, well, that means Caesar salad dressing is a risk. 

There's at least a little bit of good news here. According to the Food and Drug Administration, it is possible that you can have some perfectly safe Caesar dressing — you'll just need to ask your server a few questions. Caesar dressing that's made with pasteurized eggs or eggs that have been otherwise treated to kill salmonella bacteria and ensure they're safe for raw consumption is perfectly fine. Bottom line? It's better to ask what kind of eggs the kitchen is using, and if you don't get a satisfactory answer, it's smart to have a back-up option ready and waiting.