Raw Oysters – The Ocean’s Most Dangerous Gamble
Think twice before you grab those glistening oysters at the buffet station. Raw oysters are especially prone to contamination from Vibrio bacteria, which can cause a form of food poisoning called vibriosis. Vibriosis can cause classic symptoms like vomiting and diarrhea, but it can also be particularly harmful. The disease kills around 100 people each year in the U.S., per the CDC.
Buffets are a hotspot for vibrio-containing oysters. In 2009, over 50 people were afflicted with food poisoning from two different hotels, with buffet oysters believed to be the culprit. What’s particularly scary about contaminated oysters is that they can’t be distinguished by their taste, look, or smell. You’ll only know something was wrong when you’re doubled over in pain hours later.
Sushi and Sashimi – A Roll of the Dice
Raw sushi and sashimi can really only last up to two hours at room temperature. Past that, it’s better to avoid them altogether. The problem isn’t just the time factor though. Sushi needs to be sitting on a bed of ice to prevent the rapid growth of bacteria that occurs with lukewarm food. It’s also important to take note of how long the sushi has been sitting out, which can be hard to gauge at a buffet.
Ill-prepared fish can ruin an entire weekend. That’s exactly why you should stay away from the buffet variety. Chances are, it’s been sitting for a while and is stewing in bacteria. Even at high-end buffets, the quality control for raw fish simply can’t match what you’d get at a dedicated sushi restaurant where everything is made to order.
Crab Legs – Not The Golden Ticket You Think
Here’s a shocking revelation that’ll make your stomach turn. An owner of a buffet took to Reddit to openly discuss whatever other users wanted to know about all-you-can-eat joints. To the dismay of many people, one of the facts shared was the shadiness of crab legs. They said they had “seen Chinese buffets at the fish market going and buying bottom of the barrel seafood including crab legs past their prime.
Crab legs often seem like the biggest steal at an all-you-can-eat establishment, as evident by the many customers who stand like vultures waiting for the seafood tray to be replenished. But those seemingly premium shellfish might be yesterday’s rejects from the fish market, sitting under heat lamps for hours while bacteria multiply in the warm, moist environment.
Mayo-Based Salads – A Bacterial Paradise
There’s nothing wrong with potato salad or coleslaw – except at the buffet. Salads slathered in sour cream or mayo can easily spoil at the wrong temperature. Not only that, they get all kinds of bacteria when left out for long periods. These dishes “are highly perishable, especially when stored under inappropriate temperature conditions … leading to Listeria and other pathogenic problems,” according to Luke Seddon, a professional chef and the CEO of H2 Catering Equipment.
The danger comes from eggs, which are present in mayonnaise. Cold egg dishes must be kept on ice to maintain a temperature of at least 41 degrees Fahrenheit, while hot egg dishes must be maintained at 135 degrees Fahrenheit or above. When you can’t verify these temperatures at a buffet, you’re essentially playing Russian roulette with your digestive system.
Scrambled Eggs – The Morning Menace
Buffet eggs aren’t all they’re cracked up to be. We hate to be the bearer of bad news, but they’re often either premade or loaded with bacteria – sometimes both. Stick to boiled eggs next time for a lower chance of illness. The problem with scrambled eggs at buffets is twofold: they’re often made hours in advance and kept warm in steam tables, creating the perfect breeding ground for harmful bacteria.
If you see sausage patties, bacon, scrambled eggs, quiches or other meat and egg products sitting out without any heating appliance, you’re going to want to skip those. Even when they are being kept warm, those fluffy yellow mounds have likely been sitting there since the breakfast rush started, slowly transforming from fresh eggs into potential food poisoning ammunition.
Soft-Serve Ice Cream – The Machine Nobody Wants to Think About
Everyone loves soft-serve, but buffet ice cream machines are notoriously difficult to clean and maintain properly. Alright, let’s talk about soft-serve ice cream machines at buffets. These machines require daily deep cleaning and sanitization, something that’s often overlooked in busy buffet environments.
The dairy product sits in warm conditions inside the machine, and if cleaning schedules are missed or shortcuts are taken, bacteria can multiply rapidly. Plus, there’s always the question of how many unwashed hands have touched the dispensing lever throughout the day. That creamy treat might come with a side of germs you definitely didn’t order.
Chocolate Fondue Fountains – Sweet Contamination Station
At buffets, chocolate fondue and dessert fountains can be risky. These stations are often touched by many, raising contamination risks. The chocolate in these fountains can also build up bacteria over time. Think of that fondue fountain at the buffet as Willy Wonka’s sacred chocolate waterfall and river. The chocolate must go untouched by human hands, or it will be ruined. Don’t think for one second that the self-serve chocolate cascading in front of you at the dessert bar hasn’t been sneezed on, touched by grubby fingers, or been otherwise tainted.
The warm, flowing chocolate creates an ideal environment for bacterial growth, especially when combined with the constant exposure to air and human contact. Children regularly dip their fingers directly into the fountain, and adults aren’t much better about maintaining sanitary practices around communal dessert stations.
Cantaloupe and Pre-Cut Fruit – The Unexpected Danger
We don’t know how many of you are hitting up the seemingly fresh fruits when you head to the buffet, but be cautious about cantaloupe. The melon is strangely more susceptible to salmonella contamination than the average fruit and we imagine sitting out in a buffet for hours doesn’t do this fruit any favors. The rough, netted skin of cantaloupe harbors bacteria that can easily transfer to the flesh when the fruit is cut.
Sliced fruit needs proper temperatures, specifically cantaloupe. When pre-cut and left sitting at room temperature, these sweet melons become a breeding ground for harmful pathogens. The high water content and sugar levels create perfect conditions for bacterial multiplication, especially in the temperature danger zone between 40 and 140 degrees Fahrenheit.
Restaurant Lemons – The Hidden Bacteria Bombs
Studies show that restaurant lemons harbor all sorts of gunk. Anything from the skin to the actual flesh can be contaminated with harmful bacteria, but it’s even worse at a buffet. That lemon twist isn’t worth getting sick over. Multiple studies have found that restaurant lemons are among the most contaminated items in food service establishments.
Remember when getting a lemon with your water was commonplace? Some restaurants never asked, they just put that cute little yellow slice on the rim of your glass and you tossed it in and swirled it together with your ice water. Nowadays, we’re supposed to know better. Lemons in restaurants and buffets have been building a reputation as bacteria-breeders, and it’s best to avoid them unless you’re slicing your own at home.
Buffet Pizza – Soggy Disappointment Under Heat Lamps
You deserve better than buffet pizza, especially those soggy slices left to rot under a heat lamp. Its consistency isn’t the only problem, though. Buffet pizzas often use inferior ingredients, which simply makes a worse quality product altogether. The cheese becomes rubbery, the crust turns cardboard-like, and any vegetables become wilted and unappetizing after hours under those warming lights.
When pizza sits for extended periods, the moisture from toppings creates a breeding ground for bacteria, especially when temperatures aren’t properly maintained. You’re paying buffet prices for what’s essentially day-old pizza that’s been slowly dying under artificial heat since the lunch rush began.
Deep-Fried Foods – Grease Traps and Cross-Contamination
Those chicken wings sure look enticing…which is exactly how they get you. Deep-fried foods only get worse for you under heat lamps – they can easily go soggy or become too greasy, either of which wreak havoc on your stomach. Restaurants that host all-you-can-eat buffets often fry foods in cheap oils that are filled with artery-clogging hydrogenated oil. “Every time you put something in a deep fryer, it acts like a sponge and soaks up as much grease as possible,” Ficek says.
If cross-contamination skeeves you out, you might want to leave the fried foods in the buffet line alone. The oil used for those onion rings is likely the same that they’re dumping the chicken tenders in. Do your french fries taste a tad shrimp-y? We warned you. The same oil gets used for everything from fish to chicken to vegetables, creating a cross-contamination nightmare for anyone with allergies.
Salad Bar Greens – The E.coli Express
We love a good salad bar. But if we’re talking about foods commonly contaminated with E.coli, romaine and friends are at the top of that list. Salad bars are also sometimes kept at improper temperatures which can further contribute to the risk of foodborne illnesses. “They grow in damp environments, and it’s hard to get them thoroughly cleaned,” says Rene Ficek, RN, a nutritionist. “That’s why people get sick from sprouts so often.” Romaine lettuce and raw spinach also can be contaminated with bacteria, like E. coli.
The problem isn’t just the vegetables themselves – it’s how they’re handled in a buffet environment. Multiple hands touching the same serving utensils, questionable washing practices, and improper temperature control all contribute to turning what should be a healthy choice into a potential health hazard. Those seemingly fresh greens might have been sitting there since breakfast, wilting slowly under the fluorescent lights.
Condiment Dispensers – The Germ Fountains
Alright, not only are we questioning the build-up of sludge and goop that undoubtedly occurs in those metal condiment dispensers, but just think about how many unwashed hands are caressing these things at buffets. We shudder at the thought. Ask for your own bottle of ketchup for the table. Someone else has certainly touched it before, but probably nowhere near as many someone else’s hammering down on the ketchup pump.
If you’ve watched several people utilize a condiment station at any establishment – from gas stations to buffets – you could imagine the sheer number of hands and fingers that have touched the pumps and spouts. You should always ask for individually-packaged condiments if you’re going to a buffet where the condiment station doesn’t appear to get much staff attention. Those pumps are like petri dishes for bacteria, collecting germs from hundreds of hands throughout the day.
Gravies and Cream-Based Sauces – The Congealed Nightmare
No one likes congealed sauce, which is exactly what you’ll get at buffets. With so many available options, reach for something that doesn’t need sauce or gravy. Not only is the consistency probably off, but they’re breeding grounds for bacteria. A good soup warms the soul, but do you really trust that buffet pot? Soups need all kinds of TLC, especially proper stirring to ensure optimal results. That buffet pot probably hasn’t been touched in a while, leaving behind a cauldron filled with hot spots or an unsettling film.
Bacteria grow most rapidly in the range of temperatures between 40 °F and 140 °F, doubling in number in as little as 20 minutes. This range of temperatures is often called the “Danger Zone.” Cream-based sauces and gravies are particularly vulnerable because they provide the perfect environment – moisture, nutrients, and often the ideal temperature – for bacterial growth. That film on top isn’t just unappetizing; it’s a clear sign that the sauce has been sitting too long in unsafe conditions.
You’d think walking into a buffet would be like entering food paradise, right? All those steaming trays, colorful salads, and endless options stretching out before you like some kind of culinary wonderland. But here’s the thing that might surprise you – professional chefs who know food inside and out often approach buffets with a completely different mindset than the rest of us. They see potential danger zones where we see convenience, and bacteria breeding grounds where we see bargains. What would you say if I told you that nearly every chef I’ve spoken to has a mental list of foods they’d never touch at a buffet, no matter how hungry they are or how good it looks?
