Say "Yes" to Cilantro

Adding chopped cilantro to your salsa could help keep illness-causing bacteria to a minimum.

Cilantro contains antibacterial compounds that may help inhibit Salmonella choleraesuis, a common culprit in food poisoning. The best safeguards against food-borne illness are still frequent hand washing and safe food handling practices. However, serving meals with a side of cilantro-seasoned salsa may be both a nutritious and protective bonus.

About 40,000 people in the U.S. develop salmonella poisoning each year. The bacteria infects the gastrointestinal tract, causing symptoms such as diarrhea, vomiting, abdominal pain, fever, chills, and muscle aches. Most people get over the illness within 2 to 5 days. Undercooked red meat, chicken, and eggs are the most common culprits. To reduce your risk of food poisoning, be sure to cook all meats to the appropriate temperature. After use, thoroughly disinfect cutting boards, knives, and other utensils used to prepare raw meat. To avoid cross contamination during meal preparation, don't cut vegetables on the same surface where you handled raw chicken or other uncooked meats. Wash your hands often when preparing meals, especially after handling raw foods. Eating foods that have antibacterial properties, such as cilantro and onions in salsa, also may help reduce the risk of food-borne illness. However, think twice before dipping into restaurant salsa that's been sitting out for too long.

Antibacterial activity of coriander volatile compounds against Salmonella choleraesuis. Kubo, I., Fujita, K., Kubo, A., Nihei, K., Ogura, T., Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry 2004 Jun 2;52(11):3329-3332.