Food is an essential part of our lives, but navigating what is – and what isn’t – safe to consume can sometimes be tricky. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), almost one in 10 people fall ill each year due to eating contaminated food. Certain ingredients are susceptible to contamination and require careful preparation, while others should be avoided altogether. Here, we reveal 39 foods with hidden dangers.

Click or scroll through our gallery to discover the foods you should approach with caution – counting down to the most potentially dangerous ingredient of all.

While all the foods listed in our gallery can be dangerous in some form, we’ve based our ranking on research and data specific to each ingredient or dish.

39 common foods that carry hidden health risks