Is eating raw meat really safe?
Because of the potential for illness from bacteria or parasites, it is really not safe, but the risk is especially great for anyone with a weakened immune system. Even undercooked meats have caused serious infections, such as E. coli, that can lead to death. Traditional raw meat or fish dishes all present a risk. Dishes include steak tartare (particularly risky as it contains raw ground beef and raw egg), beef carpaccio (raw thinly sliced beef filet), sashimi (thinly sliced raw fish), ceviche (raw marinated fish), and raw seafood such as oysters, clams or mussels. Beef carpaccio is now labeled a high-risk food since it was discovered that it was the source of an outbreak of salmonella highly resistant to antibiotic treatment. Experts say that for those who choose to eat raw meat or fish dishes, it’s vital to choose sources that are scrupulous about sanitation. For anyone with a weakened immune system – which includes the very young, elderly, pregnant women (an unborn child does not hav
