Eat at your own risk

Nutrition Notes

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The Center for Science in the Public Interest, known for pointing out the caloric crimes of fast-food and chain restaurants, has turned its attention to the dangers of foods deemed healthy.

The group released a list of the "10 riskiest foods regulated by the Food and Drug Administration." The rankings primarily use Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data (1990-2006) on food-borne illness outbreaks to determine the worst offenders.

Take our quiz on the list.

Leafy greens need thorough washing. (Ricardo DeAratanha / Los Angeles Times)

1 Which of the following foods is not in the top 10:

a) Eggs
b) Tuna
c) Salmon
d) Tomatoes

2 Leafy greens (aka salad) earned the dubious distinction of being No. 1. How many incidents of E. coli, norovirus or salmonella did lettuce cause during the FDA's measuring period?

a) 139,002
b) 13,568
c) 5,400
d) 714

3 Some might be surprised that potatoes made the "riskiest" list. What's the problem with potatoes?

a) Improper handling by food preparers
b) Exposure to animal feces in the soil
c) Three words: spoiled potato salad
d) All of the above

4 Oysters, particularly when served raw, have the potential to harbor vibrio, a pathogen. Which of the following conditions will not affect people who already are immuno-compromised?

a) Septic shock
b) Skin lesions
c) Liver failure
d) Heart fibrillation

5 True or false: Berries made the list at No. 10, mostly because of incidents of infection by cyclospora, a microscopic parasite contaminated with infected stool.

ANSWERS: 1: c; 2: b; 3: d; 4: d; 5: true

— cspinet.org