Even Alcoholic Drinks Aren't Immune To Food Poisoning. Here's Why

Food poisoning can be brutal. One dodgy salad, a sketchy seafood platter, or even a mishandled turkey (the biggest culprit of food poisoning on Thanksgiving) can knock you flat for days. Beyond the extreme short-term pain, a bad case of food poisoning can play on your mind long after recovery, turning simple meals into sources of anxiety. Most of us know the basic prevention drills: Washing your hands before cooking or eating, heating meat to proper temperatures, refrigerating leftovers promptly, and checking expiration dates religiously, among others. But what if we told you that even your Friday night cocktail could land you in the same miserable state?

The chances of food poisoning from alcohol are extremely slim because of the fermentation and distillation involved in the production process. Yet there are still many ways in which harmful bacteria can be introduced into your drink, from contaminated mixers to dirty ice and tainted fruit garnishes. Raw fruits and vegetables naturally carry bacteria on their surfaces, and when they're juiced or used fresh in cocktails, those microorganisms can contaminate your beverage. According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, only pasteurization or similar sterilization methods can completely eliminate these risks.

You can prevent contamination in alcoholic beverages using similar precautions to those you'd take with food. Needless to say, if the mixer for your drink or cocktail is coming out of a packet, make sure it's not gone past the expiry date. Then there are the fresh fruits or juices that are going into your cocktail, either for mixers or a garnishes. Some fruits pose higher contamination risks than others. Ground-growing melons like cantaloupe, watermelon, and honeydew present significant hazards because the bacteria Listeria can flourish on their outer rinds before migrating into the edible flesh during cutting. Similarly, berries (both fresh or frozen) are carriers of pathogens, including hepatitis A, usually because they're grown in contaminated water. The simplest ways to minimize the risk of bacterial infection are making sure the fruit has been thoroughly washed and consuming (or refrigerating) as soon as it's been chopped. So if you see an unrefrigerated, pre-cut bowl of pineapples lying on the bar counter instead of in the refrigerator, it's best to avoid the pina colada. The garnish is meant to add flavor and fun to your drink, not send you to the infirmary!

Certain contamination sources remain beyond your control at bars, like the quality of ice, but you can evaluate what's happening in plain sight. Are bartenders cleaning equipment between orders? Do they use tongs and tweezers when handling ice and fruit? These hygiene indicators can help you decide whether to order a cocktail or stick to a beer.