What Happens When You Eat Raw Bacon?

Bacon is a popular breakfast food that people love for its smoky, salty, meaty flavor While most of us wouldn’t even consider eating it raw, accidents happen. Maybe you grabbed a piece off the platter before it finished cooking Or you’re prepping an ingredient and pop a little raw bacon in your mouth. So what exactly happens if you eat raw bacon?

Below, we’ll cover the health risks of consuming raw bacon, what symptoms you may experience, and how to cook bacon safely to avoid any issues

Can You Get Sick from Eating Raw Bacon?

Yes, there is a risk of foodborne illness from eating raw or undercooked bacon. That’s because raw pork can harbor harmful bacteria, viruses, and parasites. Some potential dangers include:

• Salmonella – Causes diarrhea, fever, stomach cramps, and vomiting.

• E. coli – Leads to painful stomach cramps and bloody diarrhea.

• Listeria – Triggers fever, muscle aches, nausea, and diarrhea.

• Toxoplasma – A parasite that can seriously affect those with weakened immune systems.

• Trichinella – Parasitic roundworms that cause diarrhea, abdominal pain, nausea, and fatigue.

So while the odds are low with just a small taste, consuming raw or undercooked bacon does come with risk. Your chances increase the more uncooked bacon you eat.

What Happens if You Accidentally Eat Raw Bacon?

If you did accidentally ingest some raw bacon, here’s what to expect:

• Most likely nothing – The bits of raw bacon probably won’t make you sick. But cooking it completely removes all risk.

• Nausea – You may feel queasy and have digestive distress like stomach cramps or diarrhea.

• Vomiting – Some pathogens cause forceful vomiting starting 6-24 hours after eating bad meat.

• Fever – Certain bacteria can lead to a high fever along with body aches.

• Fatigue – Foodborne illness often leads to exhaustion, weakness, and tiredness.

• Dehydration – Vomiting and diarrhea can dehydrate you as fluid is lost.

Seek medical care if you experience severe symptoms that last more than a day or two. Treatment focuses on staying hydrated and replacing lost electrolytes.

How to Avoid Getting Sick From Raw Bacon

You can lower the relatively small risk of getting ill from raw bacon by:

• Cooking it thoroughly – Heat pork to at least 145°F internally to kill harmful germs. Bacon should be crispy.

• Microwaving – This leads to lower nitrosamine formation versus frying. But make sure it’s heated through.

• Avoiding cross-contamination – Keep raw meats away from ready-to-eat foods. Clean all surfaces and utensils after prepping raw bacon.

• Washing your hands – Always wash hands thoroughly with soap after handling raw bacon.

• Limiting intake – The occasional bit of undercooked bacon likely poses little risk. But regularly eating raw bacon raises your chances of food poisoning.

With proper handling and cooking, you can enjoy delicious bacon safely and lower any health risks.

How to Know if Bacon is Fully Cooked

It can be tricky to know if bacon is cooked through since it’s so thin. Look for these signs that your bacon is fully cooked and safe to eat:

• Color – Fully cooked bacon is crispy and deep brown. Raw bacon is pinkish-red.

• Texture – The fat should be rendered and crispy. Raw bacon is chewy and limp.

• Cooking method – Bacon fried for at least 5 minutes per side or baked at 400°F for 15-20 minutes should be cooked through.

• Temperature – Use a food thermometer if unsure. Pork should reach 145°F minimum.

When bacon is thoroughly cooked, you can enjoy it without worries of harmful pathogens. Just don’t burn it into an inedible crisp!

What If You Suspect You Have a Bacon-Related Illness?

If you develop concerning symptoms like vomiting, diarrhea, or fever after eating questionable bacon, call your doctor, especially if symptoms are severe or last more than 24 hours.

Be sure to mention your suspicion the illness is food-related. The doctor can order tests to identify the particular bacterial or parasitic culprit. Prompt diagnosis leads to faster, more effective treatment.

Though unpleasant, most food poisoning resolves on its own within a few days. Drink plenty of fluids and get lots of rest until your strength returns. Immediately report persisting or bloody diarrhea, high fever, or signs of dehydration.

Can You Get Worms or Other Parasites From Raw Bacon?

There is a very small chance. Raw pork can potentially harbor parasites like roundworms (trichinella), tapeworms, and the toxoplasma protozoan. Typical symptoms if infected are nausea, diarrhea, fatigue, and abdominal discomfort.

But thanks to modern farming practices and meat processing, parasitic infections from pork are extremely rare in developed countries. For example, there have been less than 20 cases of trichinosis reported in the U.S. in the last decade.

So while a theoretical risk exists, getting worms or protozoan infections from today’s commercial bacon is highly unlikely. Thorough cooking kills any parasites present anyway.

The Takeaway on Eating Raw Bacon

Here are some key tips to remember regarding the risks of consuming raw bacon:

• Raw bacon can contain harmful germs that cause foodborne illness. Fully cook it to eliminate these.

• You’ll likely be fine after eating a small amount of raw bacon by accident. But cooking it removes all risk.

• Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, fever, and fatigue are possible if you do get sick. Rehydrate and contact your doctor if severe.

• Lower your risk by properly handling bacon, washing hands, preventing cross-contamination, and cooking bacon fully.

• Getting worms or other parasites is very rare from today’s commercial bacon when it’s cooked properly.

So go ahead and enjoy your crispy bacon guilt-free! Just follow basic food safety guidelines when cooking and serving this breakfast staple.