If you’ve ever wondered which animals carry the most germs and parasites that can make humans sick, you’re not alone. Which meat is the riskiest and dirtiest to eat? Read on as we explore the contenders for the title of dirtiest animal to eat.
If you’re short on time, here’s a quick answer: Pork and chicken are generally considered the dirtiest and riskiest meats for human consumption due to higher risks of contamination and foodborne illnesses.
Undercooked Pork and Trichinosis
How Pork Gets Contaminated
Trichinosis is a foodborne illness caused by eating raw or undercooked meat, particularly pork, that contains larvae of the parasitic roundworm Trichinella spiralis. Pork can become contaminated with Trichinella if pigs eat raw or undercooked meat from other infected animals.
The Trichinella larvae encyst themselves in the pig’s muscle tissue. When undercooked or raw pork containing the parasite is eaten by humans, the larvae are released into the stomach. From there, they travel to the small intestine where they mature into adult worms and mate.
The females then release new larvae that penetrate the intestinal wall and travel through the bloodstream to various muscles, where they form new cysts.
Symptoms and Dangers of Trichinosis
Trichinosis can cause a wide range of symptoms, from very mild to fatal. The severity depends on the number of larvae consumed in infected meat. Symptoms usually begin 1-2 days after eating contaminated pork and include:
- Diarrhea
- Abdominal cramps
- Nausea and vomiting
- Fatigue
- Fever
- Headache
- Muscle pain and tenderness
- Eyelid swelling
- Conjunctivitis (pinkeye)
In severe cases, which are rare, trichinosis can cause more serious complications such as heart, lung, brain or nervous system problems. Death can occur in 1-4% of infections, usually due to heart failure, pneumonia or encephalitis.
The CDC estimates there are about 15 cases of trichinosis per year in the United States, down from 400-500 cases annually in the 1940s. This decline is attributed to public health measures and regulations requiring thorough cooking of pork products.
However, trichinosis is difficult to completely eradicate because wild animals like bears, walruses, foxes, and crocodiles can also harbor Trichinella. Hunters who eat the raw or undercooked meat of wild animals remain at risk for infection.
The bottom line is thoroughly cooking pork to an internal temperature of 160°F kills any Trichinella larvae and makes the meat safe to eat. Freezing can also inactivate larvae, but may not be 100% effective, so cooking is the best prevention.
Avoiding raw or undercooked pork, and products made from raw pork like salami, is key to preventing trichinosis.
Salmonella in Chicken
Chicken is one of the most commonly consumed meats worldwide. However, raw or undercooked chicken can be a major source of foodborne illness, as it may contain pathogens like Salmonella. Salmonella is a group of bacteria that can cause diarrheal illness called salmonellosis.
According to the CDC, there are around 1.2 million cases of salmonellosis every year in the United States. Undercooked chicken accounts for around 11% of those cases. Here’s an overview of how Salmonella contaminates chicken and how to prevent Salmonella poisoning from chicken.
How Salmonella Contaminates Chicken
There are a few ways chicken can become contaminated with Salmonella bacteria:
- Infected breeding chickens – Salmonella can be present inside eggs laid by infected chickens. The bacteria is then passed on to baby chicks when they hatch.
- Chicken feed and water – Feed and water supplies can become contaminated with rodent or bird droppings containing Salmonella.
- Processing and handling – Salmonella from the intestines or feces of chickens can spread to meat during slaughter and processing. Cross-contamination can also occur during food preparation if raw chicken comes into contact with other foods.
Many chickens arrive at the grocery store already carrying Salmonella. In fact, it’s estimated that around 25% of fresh chicken sold in stores is contaminated. And just a tiny amount of Salmonella bacteria, as few as 10-20 cells, can be enough to cause illness in humans.
Preventing Salmonella Poisoning
While Salmonella contamination can occur anywhere along the food chain, proper handling and cooking of chicken at home is crucial to avoiding illness. Here are some tips to prevent Salmonella poisoning from chicken:
- Wash hands before and after handling raw chicken. Don’t allow raw chicken juices to contaminate counter tops, cutting boards or utensils. Wash all surfaces that have touched raw chicken.
- Cook chicken thoroughly to an internal temperature of 165°F. Use a food thermometer to check that chicken has reached a safe final temperature.
- Do not eat raw or undercooked chicken or chicken products like eggs. Avoid cross-contamination by keeping raw chicken separate from ready-to-eat foods.
- Refrigerate chicken promptly and store for no more than 1-2 days. Freeze chicken if storing longer. Defrost frozen chicken safely in the refrigerator, not on the counter.
- Avoid purchasing chicken with rips, tears or leaks in packaging. Select chicken before its sell-by date.
By following safe handling, cooking and storage practices at home, consumers can greatly reduce their risk of Salmonella poisoning from chicken. Proper kitchen hygiene when preparing chicken can prevent a nasty bout of salmonellosis.
Other Contenders for Dirtiest Animal to Eat
Beef and E. Coli Contamination
Beef is another top contender for the dirtiest animal product to eat. Cattle naturally carry pathogens like E. coli in their digestive tracts, which can lead to fecal contamination of meat during slaughter.
According to the CDC, there are around 265,000 E. coli infections each year in the United States. Between 20-50% of these are linked specifically to contaminated beef products.
Ground beef and undercooked steaks or burgers are the most common culprits. The high-risk preparation processes of grinding beef mixes pathogens throughout the meat. Undercooking then fails to kill them off before consumption.
Some major E. coli outbreaks in ground beef products include the 1993 Jack in the Box disaster linked to over 700 illnesses and 4 deaths. There was also a 2007 United States outbreak with nearly 200 reports across multiple states.
Shellfish and Vibrio
Raw oysters, mussels, and clams are also up there among the dirtiest food products people commonly eat. Shellfish are incredible filter feeders that extract even small microbes like bacteria and viruses from the waters they grow in.
Consuming them raw means taking all those contaminants straight into your body.
Vibrio bacteria, in particular, thrive naturally in coastal waters and are found in higher concentrations when water temperatures rise. According to the CDC’s National Outbreak Reporting System (NORS), Vibrio causes around 80,000 illnesses each year in the United States from consumption of raw or undercooked seafood.
Type | Annual Vibrio infections |
---|---|
V. parahaemolyticus | 45,000 |
V. vulnificus | 100 |
V. alginolyticus | 35,000 |
While most cases cause gastroenteritis lasting around 3 days, Vibrio vulnificus has a startling 50% mortality rate when it spreads to the bloodstream through wounds or consumption.
Eggs and Salmonella
Chicken eggs round out the dirtiest edibles list. As with beef’s E. coli issues, laying hens may carry Salmonella bacteria within their ovaries that gets deposited inside eggs before the hard shells form. Salmonella then survives undetected even in refrigerated raw eggs.
According to CDC research, around 1 in every 20,000 chicken eggs in the United States contains Salmonella bacteria. Raw or undercooked egg dishes like homemade Caesar salad dressing or cookie dough pose risks.
Though the chances of illness seem low, Salmonella strikes around 1.35 million Americans each year, hospitalizing over 23,000 and causing 420 deaths.
Outbreaks are often linked back to large producers with issues like contaminated feed or poor sanitization. So while properly handled small farm eggs are likely safer, caution is still warranted with any raw eggs from unknown sources.
Conclusion
While no meat is 100% safe from germs and contamination, proper cooking and handling can help reduce your risks. Pork and chicken require extra caution in the kitchen to avoid contracting nasty illnesses.
When sourcing your meat and preparing your meals, following food safety guidelines carefully can go a long way in keeping your food clean and your family healthy.