While buying fruit and vegetables that have already been sliced may seem like a great idea in terms of convenience, Marler advises avoiding them "like the plague".
The more food is processed and touched the more chance it has to be contaminated. Marler buys uncut, unwashed produce and never buys in bulk for fear of listeria. Instead, he'll only buy enough to last three to four days.
2. Raw sprouts
The likes of mung beans and alfalfa sprouts are popular additions to meals. But Marler says their seeds are prone to bacterial contamination and won't touch them unless they're cooked.
3. Undercooked meat
You may prefer your steak medium rare but it's not worth the risk, according to Marla. He says unless it's served up well done, the meat runs the risk of being contaminated with bacteria.
He advises it should be cooked thoroughly to 71C to avoid E.coli, salmonella and other bacterial illnesses.
4. Raw shellfish
Fans of fresh oysters will be sorry to hear Marler's verdict: "Oysters are filter feeders, so they pick up everything that's in the water," Marler wrote.
While rare, oysters can be the culprit in the spread of vibriosis, one of the most serious types of food poisoning.
5. Raw eggs
Aside from licking the spoon when baking, not many people have a soft spot for raw eggs, especially not Marler. In the 1980s in the US, dozens died and hundreds fell ill with salmonella contracted from eggs.
Today, the likelihood of getting sick with salmonella poisoning from eggs is low. However, the New Zealand Egg Producers Federation notes there is a slight risk.
Their website suggests care when handling eggs, "cooking them where possible, and taking particular care when recipes use raw eggs".
- nzherald.co.nz
