Here Are Five Food Items Even a Food Scientist Won't Eat!
Published Oct. 25 2023, 11:15 p.m. ET
We all love a good snack or two, but some food items should be avoided at all costs, according to Jen, who happens to be a food scientist. Jen, who goes by @jenlovesfood on TikTok, shared a video explaining why people should avoid five very common foods and her reasons are mind-blowing.
Jen works as a quality, safety, and product development consultant. We assume that if a food scientist won't eat these items, then most people should probably steer clear of them as well.
Even a food scientist won't eat these five food items.
According to Jen, people should avoid raw oysters, candied apples, quinoa, raw milk, and alfalfa sprouts. She breaks down each food item and why it's best to avoid them.
“Raw oysters can carry a pathogen belonging to the vibrio genus and cause an illness called vibriosis,” Jen explained. Consuming contaminated raw oysters can cause symptoms like cramping, fever, chills, and vomiting.
Candy apples are a popular treat in the autumn, but they can be harmful, according to Jen. She explained that the skewer used to puncture the apple pushes bacteria from the outside of the apple into the fruit, which can cause a listeria contamination. The infection could cause “spontaneous abortions.”
Quinoa is also on Jen's list, but she jokingly added, “I just think it tastes like dirt.” However, she explained that raw milk should be avoided whenever possible. Jen explained that raw milk contains parthenogenic organisms that cause E.coli and salmonella.
Similarly, alfalfa sprouts are grown in environments that are heavily susceptible to bacteria growth, according to Jen. The video sent TikTokers into a frenzy. Many people rushed to share their comments on Jen’s food recommendations.
Everyone agrees that raw milk can be harmful.
Jen ended her video by emphasizing that raw milk is the most important food item to avoid. “I know a lot of these foods people enjoy, but I just wanted to be informative,” Jen said. She emphasized, “Also just don’t drink raw milk, that’s literally the only one!” Her comments about raw milk were echoed by others who seemed to be opposed to the popular food craze.
One commenter exclaimed that she was all for the “raw milk hate,” before claiming that she knows people who died after consuming the unpasteurized dairy product.
Another person proposed the idea of eating only packaged foods, adding “plenty of preservatives to stay safe and healthy.” Jen seemed to agree with the commenter, suggesting that hot pockets were a solid choice.
Others who work in the science field joined Jen in voicing their concerns about raw milk. A veterinarian explained that she would never drink raw milk after seeing blood, puss, and other fluid come from cow udders.
TikTok has plenty of other videos with food safety advice.
Jen isn't the only TikToker sharing food safety advice. @foods_insight listed 10 fast food meats that consumers should avoid, but their opinions were met with harsher criticism. According to @foods_insight, the tuna at Subway, the beef at Jack In the Box, the burgers at Burger King, the toppings at Dominoes, the beef at Sonic, the steak at Applebee's, Olive Garden, Taco Bell, the meat at Panda Express, and the food at Starbucks should all be avoided.
However, others on the video sharing platform were quick to dismiss the claims made by @foods_insight. On commenter suggested that 80 percent beef was “good enough” for consumption.
