With 25 years of food litigation experience, I have been a part of every major foodborne illness outbreak. This is a list of what I refuse to eat.

1. 10 things Bill Marler
does not eat

2. Unpasteurized (“raw”)
milk
Raw milk directly from a cow can be infected with all types of bacteria.
Some argue that milk loses nutrients during pasteurization, but this is
patently false.

3. Raw juice
Pasteurization is not dangerous – but raw beverages can be. Skipping
pasteurization means increased risk of contamination by bacteria,
viruses and parasites.

4. Raw sprouts are dangerous because of their growing process. The
seeds are sprouted in standing water that can grow bacteria. There
have been too many outbreaks to not pay attention to the risk of
sprout contamination.
Raw sprouts

5. Meat that isn’t well done
Meat needs to be cooked to 160 degrees throughout to kill bacteria
that could cause E. coli or Salmonella.

6. Prewashed or precut fruit
The convenience is nice, but the more people handling and processing
food means more chances for contamination.

7. Precut vegetables
Vegetables, especially lettuce have been linked to outbreaks in the
past. Most recently, almost 200 people have been infected with E. coli
from romaine lettuce.

8. Raw or undercooked Eggs
Raw or undercooked eggs can carry Salmonella. Although it is much
safer now than in the ‘80s and ‘90s, it is not worth the risk.

9. Raw oysters and other raw
shellfish
Foodborne illness linked to shellfish has increased dramatically in the
past five years because of global warming. Warmer water increases
microbial growth, which ends up in filter feeders such as oysters.

10. Raw water
Unfiltered water can contain animal feces, Giardia, and any number of
bacteria. You never know what is up stream.

11. Uncooked flour
Uncooked flour can spread bacteria such as E. coli. In 2015 and 2016,
56 people developed E. coli infections from eating uncooked flour.