Every year in the United States, an estimated 48 million people get sick with foodborne illness —  and certain foods are riskier than others. Food safety scientists share the foods they won't eat due to the risk of contamination and foodborne illness. Plus, Joy Bauer's Avocado Caprese Toast recipe takes the popular breakfast order to the next level.

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Today's Plan

Joy Bauer takes avocado toast to the next level with this simple and totally customizable recipe. Whole-grain toast is layered with creamy mashed avocado, antioxidant-rich tomatoes, cheesy mozzarella and fresh, aromatic basil leaves. You can tailor the ingredients to your liking by adding arugula, pickled onion, pesto, roasted red pepper, eggplant, sliced figs or strawberries — the possibilities are endless.

• Breakfast: Avocado Caprese Toast
• Lunch: Pizza Toast
• Dinner: Sheet-Pan Fish With Green Beans and Tomatoes

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I'm a food safety scientist. I won't eat these 7 risky foods

Food brings us nourishment, joy, and unfortunately, sometimes illness. When the food we eat is contaminated with pathogens like bacteria, parasites, and viruses, it can cause severe disease.

Every year in the United States, an estimated 48 million people get sick with foodborne illness, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Some foods are riskier than others because they have a higher potential to cause foodborne illness.

One of those foods? Sprouts. Alfalfa, bean, lentil or clover sprouts can add a nice crunch to meals, but eating them raw or even lightly cooked is too risky for experts.

Sprouts require warm, moist conditions to grow, which are also ideal conditions for pathogens like E. coli, salmonella, or listeria, to grow, according to the CDC.

Raw sprouts have a much higher risk of carrying disease-causing pathogens compared to other produce, Keith Schneider, Ph.D, professor in the Food Science and Human Nutrition Department at the University of Florida, tells TODAY.com. “It’s very hard to produce sprouts in a completely safe manner,” he adds.

6 other foods a food safety scientist would never eat.

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