Thus begins our series on food poisoning and the top ten food culprits that cause so many of us discomfort so easily. Like any good countdown, we will start with last one on the list and make a dramatic progression to the most sinister food of all.

# 10 Food Poisoning Culprit – Sprouts

This might not come as a surprise to many, but raw sprouts comes into our list as the tenth most common food to cause us food poisoning. If it eaten cooked, it causes no issues but with the hot trend of salads, this is one vegetable you need to be careful of!

Since bacteria thrives in a warm, humid environment, sprouts are the perfect way for them to fester – sprouts also grow perfectly in those conditions! Raw or slightly cooked sprouts have been the common cause in recent years of many E. coli and Salmonella cases

Unfortunately, you can’t smell or see if a food is harbouring bacteria. Luckily, proper cooking kills harmful bacteria that can be found in sprouts.

Follow these key tips when buying, storing and eating fresh sprouts:

• Buy fresh sprouts that are properly refrigerated.

• Do not buy sprouts that have a musty smell or slimy appearance.

• At home, refrigerate sprouts.

• Wash your hands properly before handling raw sprouts then rinse sprouts thoroughly under running water before use.

• By cooking sprouts, it can help reduce the risk of food poisoning. Toss them into soups, stews or stir fries near the end of the cooking process — or oven roast until crisp and browned