Yes, here's a list of ready-to-eat (RTE) foods — both raw and cooked — that are commonly associated with high contamination risk due to bacterial, viral, or chemical hazards. These foods require no further cooking before consumption, so if contaminated, they can pose a direct health risk.

Raw & Minimally Processed Ready-to-Eat Foods (High Risk)

These are often not cooked, making contamination more likely:

Cooked or Processed Ready-to-Eat Foods (Still High Risk if Mishandled)

Although cooked, they can be contaminated post-cooking through poor hygiene, storage, or packaging:

Bakery & Dairy RTE Foods (Potential Risk)

Key Factors Contributing to Contamination:

• Poor hygiene during handling.
• Improper refrigeration or storage.
• Cross-contamination from raw foods or surfaces.
• Contaminated water used in washing or preparation.
• Use of unpasteurized ingredients.

Ready-to-eat foods, whether raw or cooked, can be very convenient, but some of them carry a high risk of contamination if not handled carefully. For example, deli meats like cold cuts can become contaminated with dangerous bacteria such as Listeria monocytogenes, especially if they are not stored properly. Soft cheeses, such as Brie, Feta, and Blue cheese, are another example. These cheeses are sometimes made from unpasteurized milk, which can carry harmful bacteria like Listeria and E. coli.

Pre-packaged salads and leafy greens may seem healthy, but they are often linked to contamination because they can carry bacteria like Salmonella or E. coli from the farm if not washed thoroughly. Raw sprouts like alfalfa or mung beans are particularly risky because the warm and damp conditions they grow in can also help dangerous bacteria multiply. Smoked seafood, especially the ready-to-eat refrigerated kinds, is also a concern because it can harbor Listeria, which can survive even in cold storage.

Another high-risk food is raw shellfish, like oysters, which can pick up dangerous bacteria and viruses from polluted waters, such as Vibrio and Norovirus. Sushi and sashimi are popular but can also carry risks of parasites and bacteria if the seafood is not handled or stored correctly. Ready-to-eat foods like pâté and meat spreads can also contain Listeria if not processed or stored safely.

Some drinks can be risky too. Unpasteurized juices and ciders might seem fresh but can carry E. coli and Salmonella because they haven’t been treated to kill bacteria. Even common foods like pre-cooked rice and pasta can become dangerous if they are not cooled and stored quickly, as they can develop harmful bacteria like Bacillus cereus.

Fruits that have already been cut, such as melons, can also become contaminated easily because bacteria grow quickly once the fruit is sliced and exposed. Cooked poultry, if left out too long or not properly refrigerated, can allow bacteria like Salmonella to multiply. Foods that are made with raw eggs, such as homemade mayonnaise or custards, can also carry Salmonella if the eggs are not properly cooked or pasteurized.

Ready-to-eat seafood salads and sandwiches that are prepared in advance can pose risks too, especially if the ingredients are stored at unsafe temperatures. Overall, these foods can be safe if properly handled, but they are especially risky for people with weaker immune systems, including pregnant women, the elderly, and young children.

A list of ready to eat food or raw food that are highly contaminated due to poor hygiene are ready to eat chapati, fruits, meat and milk mostly from open vendors, then for a public health concerns, both of these are associated with a high risk of contaminated with salmonella species

Ready-to-eat (RTE) foods, whether raw or cooked, pose significant public health challenges when contaminated, particularly in contexts where food safety standards or infrastructure are not fully robust. In Ethiopia, several commonly consumed foods, especially in their raw forms, carry inherent risks of microbial or chemical contamination, leading to potential health consequences for the population.

1. Raw meat consumption is a prevalent cultural practice across much of the Ethiopian community, with dishes such as kitfo (minced raw beef), Gored gored (cubed raw beef), and Tire siga (strips of raw beef) being highly popular. As these foods are consumed without any heat treatment, they are directly susceptible to contamination from various pathogens including Salmonella spp., Escherichia coli O157:H7, and parasitic worms like Taenia saginata (tapeworm). The risk factors are compounded by potential breaches in hygiene during slaughter, transportation, and handling, as well as cross-contamination during preparation, making these traditional RTE raw meat dishes a notable concern for foodborne illnesses.

2. The consumption of raw milk remains widespread among approximately a quarter of the Ethiopian population, particularly in rural and pastoralist communities where access to pasteurization facilities is limited. Raw milk can be a direct vehicle for numerous zoonotic pathogens, including Brucella spp. (causing brucellosis), Mycobacterium bovis (bovine tuberculosis), Listeria monocytogenes, and Campylobacter spp. Contamination can occur at various stages, from direct fecal contact and udder infections (mastitis) in the animals to unhygienic milking practices and improper storage conditions that allow bacterial proliferation. Without the critical heat treatment of pasteurization or boiling, these pathogens pose a direct threat to consumers, contributing to the burden of foodborne diseases.

3. Peanuts and other agricultural commodities are prone to contamination by aflatoxins, potent carcinogenic mycotoxins produced by molds such as Aspergillus flavus and Aspergillus parasiticus. These fungi thrive under warm, humid conditions, often colonizing crops like peanuts, maize, sorghum, and spices during pre-harvest periods or improper post-harvest drying and storage. Peanuts, commonly consumed roasted, raw, or in various RTE processed forms, represent a significant dietary source of exposure in affected regions. Chronic exposure to aflatoxins is strongly linked to an increased risk of liver cancer, immune suppression, and growth impairment in children, underscoring the critical need for effective control strategies in the food supply chain to mitigate this chemical hazard in widely consumed products.