What Increases Your Risk

People at increased risk of becoming ill with food poisoning and of having more severe symptoms include:

• Pregnant women.
• Young children.
• Older adults.
• People with an impaired immune system, such as people with diabetes.

Factors that increase your risk for developing food poisoning include:

• Eating or drinking unpasteurized juices, raw sprouts, unpasteurized milk, and milk products made from unpasteurized milk, such as certain soft cheeses.
• Eating raw or undercooked meat, poultry, eggs, fish, and shellfish (clams, oysters, scallops, and mussels).
• Eating or drinking food that has been contaminated through careless food processing or handling.
• Traveling to a developing country.