Safe picks amid outbreaks: pantry staples that are least likely to make you sick

Health experts say that during multistate foodborne outbreaks you can minimize risk by choosing heat-treated, shelf-stable, or low‑moisture foods (canned soups/beans/vegetables, shelf-stable milk, pasta, oats, cereals, dried fruit, crackers, bread, sugar, salt, honey, oils, vinegar, and other shelf-stable items) and by cooking foods to at least 170°F to kill Cyclospora, E. coli, and Listeria. Fresh produce carries more risk, especially certain raw imports like iceberg lettuce, so rely on well‑cooked or shelf‑stable options and proper handling. Recent outbreaks linked to greens, blueberries, and cheeses underscore why these safer choices matter, even though most foods remain uncontaminated.