Whether you just want to taste a bite of raw hamburger or eat the whole patty raw, the microorganisms in raw hamburger can be very dangerous to your health. Eating raw hamburger places you at high risk for food poisoning, which can cause unpleasant symptoms and, in some cases, serious or fatal complications.
Bacteria
Raw hamburger often contains dangerous pathogenic bacteria, such as salmonella, Listeria monocytogenes, Escherichia coli O157:H7, Staphylococcus aureus and Campylobacter jejuni, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service warns. You cannot smell, taste or see these bacteria in raw hamburger meat. Bacteria that gives hamburger meat a bad odor or rotten appearance are called spoilage bacteria and rarely make you sick. Raw hamburger is more likely to harbor dangerous bacteria than other types of meat because grinding beef exposes more of the meat to bacteria.
Food Poisoning
Pathogenic bacteria in raw hamburger meat can give you food poisoning. Food poisoning is characterized by nausea, vomiting, abdominal cramps, diarrhea, fever and dehydration. Some bacteria also cause other symptoms. For example, E. coli O157:H7, a bacteria found in raw hamburger, causes hemolytic uremic syndrome, which is fatal in 3 to 5 percent of cases, according to the National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse. About 5,000 people in the United States die every year from food poisoning.
Considerations
Consuming raw or improperly cooked hamburger is more dangerous for some people, such as children, the elderly, pregnant women and those with weakened immune systems. Never let people in these categories consume raw hamburger. If you are cooking for people in these categories, make sure you follow safety guidelines closely and cook meat to a safe internal temperature.
Recommendations
Do not eat raw hamburger. Instead, cook hamburger to an internal temperature of at least 160 F before eating. Check the temperature with a meat thermometer; hamburgers that look done might not have reached a safe internal temperature. Store raw hamburger in the refrigerator or freezer and defrost frozen meat in the refrigerator, microwave or in cold water. Bacteria grow rapidly at warm temperatures, so never defrost meat on the counter. Wash your hands and any utensils and dishes used to prepare raw hamburger with soap and hot water to prevent cross-contamination.
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