5 Common Foodborne Bacteria to Avoid

By EatingWell Editors, "5 Guests You Never Want to Have for Dinner," September/October 2009

Bad bacteria you don’t want lurking in your food.

salmonella

1. Salmonella enteritidis

Bacteria found in some meat, poultry and eggs that, if undercooked, can cause illness. Salmonella lives in animals’ intestinal tracts, and is usually transmitted through contaminated animal feces. In eggs, salmonella infects the ovaries of hens and contaminates the eggs before the shells are formed.

Charges: Plaguing people with fever, stomach cramps and diarrhea, often beginning 12 to 72 hours after consuming a contaminated food or drink and lasting four to seven days.

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