Center for Science in the Public Interest
Fresh produce items like cilantro, cucumbers, cantaloupes, and peppers that are often eaten raw cause more foodborne illness than any other single category of food, according to a study by the Center for Science in the Public Interest. The nonprofit food safety and nutrition watchdog group reviewed 10 years of outbreak data to determine which foods are most often linked to outbreaks of foodborne disease and identify trends in illnesses. Over the period studied, fresh produce caused 629 outbreaks and almost 20,000 illnesses.
