What Happens When You Eat Raw Bacon? The Health Risks Explained

As someone who loves bacon, I occasionally get the urge to grab a piece straight from the pack and take a bite before cooking it up. Raw bacon just looks so tasty! But is giving in to this temptation actually safe, or are there risks with eating uncooked bacon?

In this article, we’ll explore what happens when you eat raw bacon, including the potential health impacts. After learning about the dangers, you may lose your craving for uncooked bacon real quick!

An Overview of Raw Bacon

Before jumping into the effects of eating it raw, let’s start with an overview of what exactly bacon is. Bacon refers to smoked, cured pork belly. It’s made by taking a slab of meat from the belly of a pig and preserving it in a salt brine solution.

This curing process involves soaking the pork in a mixture of salt, water, sodium nitrite, and sometimes sugar or maple syrup. The salt and nitrite prevent bacteria growth while bringing out bacon’s signature salty, smoky flavor.

After curing, the pork belly is slowly smoked over a fire or with smoke flavoring. This smoking cooks the meat while infusing it with a rich, smoky taste. The final result is the beloved bacon we all know and love.

Raw Bacon Health Risks

Eating raw bacon comes with several health hazards that make it an unsafe choice The main risks include

Foodborne Illness

Raw and undercooked meats can harbor harmful bacteria, viruses, and parasites. These pathogens can lead to foodborne illnesses like salmonella, E. coli, trichinosis, and tapeworms when the meat is eaten raw.

While the curing process helps control bacteria, raw bacon still carries a high risk of food poisoning if consumed uncooked.

Nitrite Poisoning

Sodium nitrite is added to cured meats like bacon to inhibit botulism-causing bacteria. But in high amounts nitrites can be toxic to humans and lead to a rare condition called nitrite poisoning.

Eating raw bacon means consuming nitrite that would normally cook off when fried or baked. So raw bacon is more prone to nitrite overdose.

Parasitic Infections

As mentioned earlier, raw pork can carry parasites like trichinella spiralis, taenia solium, and toxoplasma. These can cause parasitic infections when ingested, leading to symptoms like muscle pain, headaches, nausea, diarrhea, and fatigue.

Thorough cooking kills any parasites present, but eating raw bacon puts you at risk.

Nutritional Loss

Cooking food not only improves flavor but can increase the availability of certain nutrients. Some compounds like lycopene in tomatoes become more bioaccessible when cooked.

Raw bacon misses out on these nutritional boosts from cooking.

Amount Consumed Matters

While any raw bacon poses risks, the chances of illness and severity increase with the quantity eaten. Nibbling a small corner of one strip may result in minor or no issues. But consuming multiple whole raw strips could mean a bout of violent food poisoning.

As a general guideline:

• Eating less than 2-3 pieces may cause mild symptoms like nausea or stomach pain.

• Eating more than 3-4 full strips likely increases the odds of foodborne illness. Seek medical care if severe symptoms arise.

The more raw bacon you eat, the more likely you’ll contract a foodborne pathogen or other complication. It’s best to avoid raw bacon altogether, but the risks rise sharply with higher amounts.

Symptoms to Watch For

If you happen to take a bite of raw bacon, watch for these common symptoms:

• Nausea and vomiting
• Diarrhea
• Stomach cramps and pain
• Fever
• Fatigue and muscle aches
• Headaches
• Confusion
• Seizures (in severe cases)

Any sign of illness indicates you should call your doctor, especially with serious symptoms like high fever, bloody stool, excessive vomiting, or disorientation. Food poisoning from raw bacon can progress rapidly, so quick treatment is key.

What to Do if You Eat Raw Bacon

If you realize you’ve accidentally (or foolishly) eaten some raw bacon, follow these steps:

Determine the Amount

Try to recall how much raw bacon you ate. Knowing the approximate quantity will help you gauge the risks and whether medical care may be needed.

Watch for Symptoms

Monitor yourself closely over the next 24-48 hours for any symptoms of foodborne illness. Nausea and diarrhea commonly occur.

Call Your Doctor

If concerning symptoms appear or persist beyond 24 hours, call your physician right away. They can advise on next steps and treatment options.

Drink Fluids

Stay hydrated and replace lost fluids from vomiting/diarrhea to prevent dehydration, a serious complication of food poisoning.

Eat bland foods

Go for the BRAT diet (bananas, rice, applesauce, toast) initially to soothe your upset stomach after bacon ingestion.

Avoid Further Raw Meats

Don’t take any chances while ill by consuming other raw or undercooked meats that could worsen symptoms.

Essentially watch for concerning symptoms, stay hydrated, and contact your doctor at the first sign of illness after eating raw bacon. With proper treatment, you’ll likely make a full recovery.

How to Cook Bacon Safely

To avoid the risks of raw bacon, it’s vital to handle, store, and cook it properly:

• Refrigerate bacon promptly and use within 7 days of opening.

• Cook bacon thoroughly until crispy, either in a skillet, oven, or microwave.

• Cook to an internal temp of at least 145°F to kill bacteria.

• Let cooked bacon cool before eating.

• Never leave cooked bacon sitting out for more than 2 hours.

• When reheating, reheat fully to 165°F.

Follow these steps, and you can safely enjoy one of the tastiest foods around – cooked bacon!

Can You Freeze Raw Bacon?

Freezing raw bacon can extend its shelf life drastically. To freeze:

• Wrap bacon tightly in plastic wrap or freezer paper.

• Place wrapped bacon in freezer bags, removing excess air.

• Freeze for up to 4 months at 0°F or below.

• Thaw in the fridge before using and cook fully until sizzling and browned.

Frozen raw bacon lasts significantly longer but still requires thorough cooking before eating to avoid foodborne illness. Never eat bacon straight from the frozen state.

The Bottom Line

Should symptoms arise after eating raw bacon, promptly seek medical attention for assessment and treatment. To enjoy bacon safely, be sure to fully cook until crispy before eating. So forgo taking a tempting bite of that raw bacon and stick to cooked for optimal health!