{"id":36994,"date":"2019-02-18T09:34:44","date_gmt":"2019-02-18T09:34:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.highspeedtraining.co.uk\/hub\/?p=36994"},"modified":"2025-03-13T16:42:30","modified_gmt":"2025-03-13T16:42:30","slug":"can-you-eat-raw","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.highspeedtraining.co.uk\/hub\/can-you-eat-raw\/","title":{"rendered":"What Foods Are Safe to Eat Raw?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Throughout most of our lives we are repeatedly instructed to cook food thoroughly. While this is<\/strong> essential for numerous types of food \u2013 particularly certain meats and vegetables \u2013 various other types are perfectly safe and even healthy to eat raw.<\/p>\n

The challenge that many people face is figuring out what they can and can\u2019t eat raw. The consequences of eating raw or undercooked food can range from a mild stomach ache to serious risks of food poisoning and even death, so many of us decide it\u2019s not worth the risk. The good news is that, over centuries of people taking these risks to learn for themselves, we now have a pretty good idea of what foods you can and can\u2019t eat raw.<\/p>\n

With this in mind, we\u2019ve compiled this guide to help you easily find out this information. So, which foods need some time in the oven and which can go straight on your plate?<\/strong><\/p>\n

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Can You Eat Raw Chicken?\"drop<\/h3>\n
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The simple answer to this question is: no, it is not safe to eat raw chicken in the UK. <\/strong>Raw chicken carries significant risks of food poisoning, as it may be contaminated with salmonella and\/or campylobacter. According to the NHS<\/a>, around 50% of chicken sold in the UK carries the campylobacter bacteria, which is the most common cause of food poisoning in the country.<\/p>\n

The reason why you can\u2019t eat raw chicken, compared to other types of meat, is because bacteria can easily survive the processing procedure<\/strong>. Salmonella lives in the intestines of chickens and, due to the way the meat is processed, these parts can easily contaminate the rest of the chicken and remain there when sold.<\/p>\n

\"Raw<\/p>\n

Some places in the world do prepare raw chicken dishes. For example, eating slightly undercooked chicken in Japan (known as torisashi) is not unheard of. However, the chicken they use for torisashi comes from controlled farms that make it safer to serve raw. This is not the case for chicken in the UK.<\/p>\n

Therefore, to avoid the risks of raw chicken, you absolutely must cook it all the way through. <\/strong>It should reach a core temperature of at least 70, not be pink, and have no liquid running from it. You should also never wash raw chicken<\/strong>, as this can spread the surface bacteria to other areas of your kitchen. Cooking it thoroughly will kill all the bacteria, so there\u2019s no need to wash it.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Can You Eat Raw Beef?\"drop<\/h3>\n
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The answer to this is yes and no<\/strong>. Beef is in most cases safe to eat raw, as long as you sear the surface of the meat<\/strong>. This is because, on whole cuts of beef, bacterial contamination (such as E. coli) is usually only present on the outside. As long as you haven\u2019t allowed the surface meat to cross-contaminate the centre, the rest of it will be safe to eat rare.<\/p>\n

However, this is why eating undercooked ground beef<\/strong> (such as mince and burger patties<\/a>) is unsafe, and why you should be a little more careful if dicing beef.<\/p>\n

\"Rare<\/p>\n

When beef is ground together for mincemeat, the surface bacteria mixes with and contaminates the rest of the meat. Similarly, when dicing beef, your utensil may become contaminated with the surface bacteria and spread into the middle as you cut. Therefore, you should fully cook beef mince and beef that you\u2019ve cut yourself to avoid these risks.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Can You Eat Raw Pork?\"drop<\/h3>\n
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The answer to whether you can eat raw pork is also a mix of yes and no<\/strong>. For many years the main risk of eating raw pork was trichinosis<\/strong>: a parasite that pigs were at risk of harbouring. This has significantly declined over the last few decades, as pigs raised for meat are no longer fed scraps that had a high chance of being contaminated with trichinosis. On modern farms, their diet is much more controlled.<\/p>\n

This means that eating slightly pink pork or even undercooked bacon comes with lower risks than it did in the past, and if you\u2019re ever worried that you accidentally ate raw pork, chances are you will be fine. However, it\u2019s still recommended that you cook pork and bacon through<\/strong>, as the risks are not completely absent.<\/p>\n

\"Raw<\/p>\n

Despite the low chances of trichinosis, there may also be other risks to consider. The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) have reported<\/a> that consumers may be at risk of hepatitis E<\/strong> when consuming raw or undercooked pork meat and liver. This is more likely in imported pork rather than British pork however, so you should pay close attention to the source of your pork.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Can You Eat Raw Lamb?\"drop<\/h3>\n
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The answer to this is similar to raw beef: yes and no<\/strong>. Whole cuts of lamb are safe to eat rare as long as you sear the surface<\/strong>. This is because, like beef, bacterial contamination (such as E. coli) is usually only present on the outside.<\/p>\n

Furthermore, this is why eating undercooked ground lamb<\/strong> (such as mince and burger patties<\/a>) is unsafe and why you should be a little more careful if dicing lamb.<\/p>\n

\"Woman<\/p>\n

During the grounding process, the surface bacteria mixes with and contaminates the rest of the meat. Similarly, when dicing lamb, your utensil may become contaminated with the surface bacteria and spread into the middle as you cut. Therefore, you should fully cook minced lamb and lamb that you\u2019ve cut yourself to avoid these risks.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Can You Eat Raw Eggs?\"drop<\/h3>\n
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With eggs being one of the most nutritious foods and widespread ingredients, you may often wonder: is it safe to eat raw eggs? This is crucial to consider, because raw eggs do come with risks and are easy to find in all kinds of food.<\/p>\n

The good news is that the chances of getting salmonella from raw are significantly lower nowadays, due to improved safety controls and pasteurisation<\/strong>. This is particularly true for eggs that are produced under the British Lion Code of Practice<\/strong>, according to the NHS<\/a>. These types of eggs are even safe for at-risk groups to eat raw or lightly cooked (such as pregnant women, children, the elderly, and people with weakened immune systems).<\/p>\n

\"Raw<\/p>\n

However, any eggs that are not British Lion stamped, not hen eggs, and are not from the UK could have a higher risk of infection, so people should avoid eating these raw. It\u2019s especially important for at-risk groups to ensure these types of eggs are thoroughly cooked.<\/p>\n

You might also wonder if there are any benefits<\/strong> of eating raw eggs. Studies have suggested that the protein in eggs does not absorb as well into the body when you eat them raw<\/strong>. Therefore, it\u2019s better to cook them if you\u2019re looking for a higher protein gain.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Can You Eat Raw Salmon?\"drop<\/h3>\n
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Whether or not you can safely eat raw salmon depends entirely on the source of the salmon and how it\u2019s stored<\/strong>. Raw salmon is only safe to eat if it\u2019s undergone the necessary fishing and freezing process, and those at your local supermarket or fishmonger usually haven\u2019t.<\/p>\n

You may be wondering about raw salmon that is typically sold in sushi establishments. In these cases, the salmon has been carefully farmed and stored so it\u2019s safe to consume raw. The Food Standards Agency (FSA) requires food businesses that serve raw fish to source it from suitable farms<\/strong>, store them under specific deep-freezing conditions<\/strong>, and prepare them hygienically.<\/p>\n

\"Raw<\/p>\n

Achieving this standard at home is more difficult. Store-bought salmon is unlikely to have been sourced from farms that raise fish for raw consumption. Therefore, you should not eat raw salmon from your local fishmonger or supermarket unless you know it has gone through the necessary fishing and freezing process. If you\u2019re eager to eat raw salmon, make sure you enjoy it at a highly-rated restaurant, as they will follow the necessary safety procedures.<\/p>\n

Want to learn more about raw fish and sushi? Check out our article Is Sushi Safe to Eat?<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Can You Eat Raw Prawns?\"drop<\/h3>\n
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Like with salmon, whether or not you can eat raw<\/strong> prawns depends on its source and how it\u2019s stored<\/strong>. Prawns that are raised specifically for raw consumption and are held at appropriate temperatures are safe to eat raw, but this usually isn\u2019t the case for store-bought prawns.<\/p>\n

\"Raw<\/p>\n

If you want to eat prawns raw, ask your fishmonger for more information about where they came from, and make sure they are cold and don\u2019t have an off smell. However, the best practice is to simply avoid eating them raw. This is especially important for high risk groups (pregnant women, children, the elderly, and people with weakened immune systems).<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Can You Eat All Fish Raw?\"drop<\/h3>\n
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The short answer is no,<\/strong> not all fish is safe to eat raw<\/strong>. As discussed throughout this guide, certain kinds of fish are safe for raw consumption \u2013 depending on the type and how they\u2019re farmed. Even so, raw fish always carries some degree of risk.<\/p>\n

The most common risk is anisakis \u2013 a parasitic disease<\/strong> that may make people sick if they consume it. Fish can be inspected to remove visible anisakis parasites, but some may remain undetected. Therefore, they require thorough cooking or deep freezing to kill the remainder. There is also a risk of tapeworms, but they only affect freshwater fish, such as eel. Most types of fish that are raised for raw consumption are saltwater (including salmon, tuna, mackerel, shrimp, and shellfish), so do not have this risk.<\/p>\n

\"Fishmonger<\/p>\n

This is why you should always avoid eating raw fish unless you know it\u2019s sourced specifically to be eaten raw. It\u2019s also recommended that you do not eat certain fish raw under any circumstances, as they are highly prone to parasites. This includes haddock, cod, pollock, and hake. Furthermore, higher risk groups (children, the elderly, pregnant women, and people with weakened immune systems) should avoid all raw fish.<\/p>\n

Businesses with a high food hygiene rating<\/a> usually have appropriate food safety procedures to reduce these contamination risks to as low as possible. So,<\/strong> if you do want to eat raw fish, make sure you eat at highly-rated establishments.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Can You Eat Raw Potatoes?\"drop<\/h3>\n
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Although it is not dangerous to eat raw potatoes, their high starch content makes them difficult to digest<\/strong> and they aren\u2019t as nutritious as when they\u2019re cooked. The real danger however is when potatoes turn green or sprout,<\/strong> as they produce high quantities of solanine that is highly toxic<\/strong> to consume.<\/p>\n

\"Raw<\/p>\n

Therefore, there is no benefit of eating raw potatoes. You should ensure you cook them thoroughly or throw them away if they\u2019re green or sprouting \u2013 these are not safe to eat raw or even cooked.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Can You Eat Raw Mushrooms?\"drop<\/h3>\n
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The general consensus is that you should not eat mushrooms raw<\/strong>. This is because they are difficult to digest, have lower nutritional value, and can contain certain toxins when raw, depending on the type of mushroom. This includes the standard white button mushroom. Therefore, you should cook mushrooms to break down the toxins and cell walls that make them hard to digest.<\/p>\n

\"Raw<\/p>\n

Studies carried out by experts have revealed that the risks posed by potential toxins is fairly low. However, because of the other downsides to eating them raw, it\u2019s much healthier and safer to cook your mushrooms, even lightly, before you eat them. To preserve and increase their nutrients as much as possible, it\u2019s best to grill and even microwave them<\/strong>. To be on the safe side, you should always follow the instructions on the packet or do further research into the specific mushrooms you\u2019re eating.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Can You Eat All Vegetables Raw?\"drop<\/h3>\n
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Although many vegetables are perfectly safe and even healthy to eat raw, this does not apply to all<\/strong> vegetables. Many of them are difficult to digest and contain harmful toxins in their raw state, so it\u2019s crucial to know which you should cook first. So, what vegetables can you eat raw?<\/p>\n

\"Kidney<\/p>\n

The easiest way to determine which you can eat raw is to recognise which you can\u2019t<\/strong>, as most are fine to consume raw (such as tomatoes, carrots, onions, spinach, peppers, and many more). Potatoes and mushrooms are amongst vegetables that you shouldn\u2019t eat, as discussed above in their own sections.<\/p>\n

Other examples of vegetables that you shouldn\u2019t eat raw include:<\/h4>\n