Can You Eat Raw Bacon?

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Bacon is salt-cured pork belly that’s served in thin strips. Similar cuts of meat can be made from beef, lamb, and turkey. Turkey bacon is a well-known example menu.

Because bacon is cured like pre-cooked deli ham, you may wonder whether it’s safe to eat raw.สมัคร UFABET 

Is it safe to eat?

Consuming undercooked or raw meat of any kind increases your risk of foodborne illness, otherwise known as food poisoning.

That’s because these meats may harbor harmful viruses, bacteria and parasites.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates. That each year, 48 million people in the United States get food poisoning, 128,000 are hospitalized and 3,000 die.

Potential dangers

Bacon spoils less easily than other raw meats due to its additives, such as salt and nitrites. While salt prevents the growth of certain bacteria, nitrites fight against botulism.

However, eating bacon raw can still increase your risk of food poisoning.

Common foodborne illnesses linked to undercooked or raw pork include:

  • Toxoplasmosis. While the parasite behind this condition is relatively harmless to most people, it can endanger those with weakened immune systems.
  • Trichinosis. This disease is caused by a species of parasitic roundworms that can trigger diarrhea, vomiting, weakness, and eye swelling.
  • Tapeworms. These parasitic worms live in your intestines and can cause abdominal pain, weight loss, and intestinal blockages.

You can kill these parasites and reduce your risk of food poisoning by cooking bacon properly.