The 10 most hazardous foods

MSN compiled a list of the 10 most hazardous foods and how to eat them healthfully. Here they are as reproduced from the site:

1. Alfalfa sprouts

The danger: "Sprouts are at the top of the list when it comes to potential problem because the conditions for producing sprouts promote the growth of harmful bacteria. In order to grow sprouts, the seeds are soaked and kept moist—a prime breeding ground for bacteria. (Salmonella is the most common illness associated with sprouts).

2. Eggs
The danger: The good news about eggs is that it's the rare egg that will make you sick.About one in every 10,000 eggs has salmonella. It's a very low risk, but you never know when it'll be your egg. And since the bacteria can be inside the egg, the only way to eradicate it is to thoroughly cook your eggs.

3. Rare burgers
The danger: Eating raw or very rare beef is always a bit risky. Beef has the potential for carrying salmonella or E. coli contamination. And even when the meat is produced under the most ideal conditions, there is still a risk that it can harbor bacteria. The only way to fully guarantee that it is bacteria-free is to buy meat that has been irradiated. And ground beef is more risky than, say, a steak, because it is handled more, and after being ground it has greater surface area on which to harbor bacteria.

4. Packaged greens
The danger: Leafy greens—including cut lettuces and spinach—have been responsible for several outbreaks of disease and product recalls in recent years. There are many ways that bacteria like E. coli or salmonella can infect produce—from infected animal feces that infiltrate the water or soil or from handling procedures during the picking or packaging. In most situations, washing the produce will not wash away the risk.

5. Sushi
The danger: The primary cause for concern with sushi is the presence of parasites—tapeworms, flatworms and roundworms, for example—in the raw fish. To minimize risk, eat sashimi (sushi made with raw fish) at restaurants where the chefs not only know how to purchase the best fish, but also know how to identify and remove parasites during preparation. While no raw fish can be guaranteed safe, dipping it in soy sauce and wasabi may have a mildly antimicrobial effect.

6. Chicken
The danger: Raw chicken is a notorious carrier of salmonella and campylobacter bacteria. It's fairly easy not to serve chicken that's contaminated—just make sure you cook it thoroughly with no pink showing when you cut it open (no one wants their chicken served rare anyway!). The biggest risk factors for getting sick is not from eating the chicken, but from cross-contamination during your prep and cooking.

7. Mayonnaise
The danger: Old wives' tales aside, it appears that mayonnaise really isn't all that risky. But because myths abound about food poisoning at family picnics caused by mayonnaise-laced salads, slaws and sandwiches, the condiment still made our list—if for no other reason than to debunk those myths. "The FDA standards for commercially prepared mayonnaise mean it has to have a certain pH and acidity [which were chosen] based on studies to kill salmonella."So putting mayonnaise into a salad can actually have an anti-microbial effect.

8. Cantaloupe
The danger: A recall of cantaloupe imported from Honduras because of salmonella contamination has focused attention on the melon. The rind that encases the fruit may harbor the bacteria, but it's easily transferred to the edible flesh inside once it's cut up.

9. Unpasteurized cheese
The danger: Unless you're getting your milk fresh from the cow, chances are it has been pasteurized—a heat treatment process designed to kill bacteria (including salmonella, listeria and E. coli) present in the milk. But even those who wouldn't think of drinking unpasteurized milk may be unknowingly eating cheese made from that same untreated milk. Many soft cheeses—including brie, feta and goat cheese—are unpasteurized. Although federal regulation requires that domestic and imported unpasteurized cheeses be aged for at least 60 days, cheeses made from raw milk still carry some risk of contamination. Because of that risk, it's recommended that pregnant women, children, the elderly and anyone else with a compromised immune system avoid eating them.

10. Salad bar fixings
The danger: It may be the ultimate in convenience to swing by the salad bar and choose from a wide array of ingredients that are all chopped up and ready to mix into a customized meal. But letting someone else do all the prep work can result in some unhealthy surprises. "The biggest factors contributing to potentially unsafe salad-bar food are foods that aren't kept hot or cold enough, handling of food by workers with poor hygiene, and refilling partially used containers of perishable food with fresh food.

Refer to Eat at Your Own Risk on msn.com to find out how to eat these foods healthfully.