Which three of the following are high risk foods?

November 14, 2025 •

3 min read

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), foodborne illnesses affect roughly 1 in 6 Americans each year. This makes understanding food safety, including which three of the following are high risk foods, essential for preventing potentially dangerous infections.

Quick Summary

This article explains why certain foods are categorized as high risk for bacterial growth, focusing on cooked rice, raw poultry, and unpasteurized dairy. It provides details on their characteristics and the necessary precautions to handle them safely.

Key Points

High-Risk Foods Defined: These foods have characteristics like high moisture, protein, and neutral acidity that create ideal conditions for bacterial growth if not properly handled.
Raw Poultry Dangers: Raw chicken and turkey often carry Salmonella and Campylobacter, which must be destroyed by cooking to an internal temperature of 75°C.
Unpasteurized Dairy Risks: Raw milk and soft cheeses from unpasteurized milk can contain dangerous bacteria like Listeria that grow even under refrigeration.
Cooked Rice Hazard: Spores from Bacillus cereus can survive cooking; if cooked rice cools slowly, these spores produce heat-resistant toxins causing illness.
Temperature Control is Key: Keeping high-risk foods out of the 'temperature danger zone' (5°C to 60°C) is essential to prevent rapid bacterial multiplication.
Avoid Cross-Contamination: Use separate equipment and surfaces for raw items to prevent transferring pathogens to ready-to-eat foods.

Understanding the Characteristics of High-Risk Foods

High-risk foods, also known as potentially hazardous foods (PHFs), are items that provide ideal conditions for the growth of harmful bacteria. These foods are typically moist, rich in protein or starch, and have a neutral or low acidity, creating a hospitable environment for pathogens like Salmonella, E. coli, and Listeria. Unlike low-risk foods, which are dry, acidic, or high in sugar, high-risk foods are often ready-to-eat or consumed after minimal handling, making proper temperature control and hygiene critical. If left in the 'temperature danger zone' (5°C to 60°C), bacteria can multiply rapidly, increasing the risk of food poisoning.

The Three Most Common High-Risk Food Categories

While many foods can become hazardous if improperly handled, three categories stand out due to their composition and how they are typically prepared or consumed. These include raw and undercooked poultry, unpasteurized dairy products, and cooked rice left at room temperature.

1. Raw and Undercooked Poultry

Raw and undercooked poultry, such as chicken and turkey, are consistently cited as major sources of food poisoning. These meats can harbor bacteria like Campylobacter and Salmonella, which are often present in the intestinal tracts and feathers of healthy birds and can contaminate the meat during processing. Cooking poultry to a safe internal temperature of 75°C is the only way to kill these harmful bacteria. Without this crucial step, the risk of foodborne illness is extremely high. Proper handling is also essential to prevent cross-contamination in the kitchen, where bacteria from raw poultry can transfer to other foods, utensils, and surfaces.

2. Unpasteurized Dairy Products

Unpasteurized milk and dairy products, including certain soft cheeses (e.g., Brie, Camembert, Queso Fresco) and raw milk, are high-risk because they can contain dangerous bacteria like Listeria, E. coli, and Campylobacter. Pasteurization is a heat-treating process that kills these pathogens, making dairy products safe for consumption. Without this step, the bacteria remain and can continue to grow, even in refrigerated conditions. This risk is particularly serious for vulnerable individuals, including pregnant women, young children, the elderly, and those with weakened immune systems.

3. Cooked Rice

Dry, uncooked rice is a low-risk food, but once cooked, it becomes a potentially hazardous item due to the bacteria Bacillus cereus. This bacterium produces spores that can survive the cooking process. If cooked rice is left to cool at room temperature, these spores can germinate and grow into harmful bacteria that produce toxins. Reheating the rice after this point will kill the bacteria but not destroy the heat-resistant toxins, which can still cause vomiting and diarrhea. To prevent this, cooked rice must be cooled quickly and refrigerated immediately.

Comparison of High-Risk Foods


Feature	Raw Poultry	Unpasteurized Dairy	Cooked Rice
Primary Pathogens	Salmonella, Campylobacter	Listeria, E. coli, Campylobacter	Bacillus cereus spores
Source of Contamination	Animal intestinal tract, cross-contamination	Raw milk, lack of pasteurization	Spores surviving cooking, time/temperature abuse
Risk Factor	Requires thorough cooking to a safe internal temperature	Pathogens can grow even under refrigeration	Spores can become toxic if left at room temperature
Vulnerable Groups	All individuals, but especially immunocompromised	Pregnant women, elderly, immunocompromised	All individuals; toxins can remain after reheating

Conclusion: Safe Handling is Crucial

In conclusion, raw poultry, unpasteurized dairy products, and cooked rice are three classic examples of high-risk foods due to their biological vulnerabilities. Raw and undercooked poultry carry bacteria like Salmonella, unpasteurized dairy can contain Listeria and other pathogens, and cooked rice is susceptible to the toxin-producing Bacillus cereus bacterium. These foods all require strict time and temperature control to ensure they are safe to eat. By cooking poultry thoroughly, always choosing pasteurized dairy, and properly refrigerating cooked rice, consumers can significantly reduce their risk of foodborne illness. Awareness of these specific risks is the first and most important step toward maintaining food safety and protecting public health. For more guidance on specific food handling, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) offers comprehensive resources and guidelines.

Frequently Asked Questions

Cooked rice is high-risk because it can harbor spores of the bacterium Bacillus cereus. These spores can survive cooking and produce heat-resistant toxins if the rice is left at room temperature, which can cause food poisoning even after reheating.

Yes, a low-risk food can become high-risk if it is improperly handled. For example, dry rice is low-risk, but after it is cooked and contains moisture, it becomes a high-risk food if left in the danger zone.

To handle raw poultry safely, cook it to an internal temperature of 75°C, use separate cutting boards and utensils for raw meat, and wash your hands thoroughly after handling to prevent cross-contamination.

Pregnant women are advised to avoid unpasteurized dairy because it can contain Listeria bacteria, which can cause serious complications like miscarriage or stillbirth.

The 'temperature danger zone' is the range between 5°C and 60°C where harmful bacteria can grow and multiply rapidly. High-risk foods should be kept out of this temperature range as much as possible.

No, it is not safe to leave cooked food, especially high-risk items like rice, out at room temperature for an extended period. To prevent bacterial growth, cooked food should be cooled rapidly and refrigerated as soon as possible.

Cooking to the proper temperature kills most harmful bacteria, but it does not destroy all toxins. Some bacteria, like Bacillus cereus, produce toxins that are heat-resistant and can still cause illness even after the food is reheated.