Smoothies Gone Sour: How Blended Drinks Can Hide Pathogens

Smoothies are the poster child of health. Packed with frozen berries, leafy greens, and protein powders, they’re marketed as the easiest way to drink your vitamins. Coffee shops and gyms sell them by the gallon, and home blenders whir to life in kitchens across the country every morning.

But there’s a side of smoothies that rarely makes it into glossy ads: they can also be vehicles for serious foodborne illnesses. Because smoothies often contain raw ingredients — and because blending distributes contamination evenly — a single tainted strawberry, seed, or leaf of spinach can spread bacteria or viruses to every sip.

Why Smoothies Pose Hidden Risks

Unlike many cooked meals, smoothies bypass heat, one of the most reliable tools fo

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