[Image via Shutterstock]
Inquisitor: Cannibal sandwiches might sound appealing to some folks, but officials warn that the odd holiday appetizer could send you running for the nearest hospital.
If you don’t live in Wisconsin, then cannibal sandwiches might sound like something found in a low-budget horror movie. According to Fox News, the concoction consists of raw ground beef positioned carefully on a cracker. These strange treats are often topped with onions.
Although the Center for Disease Control and Prevention previously warned folks not to eat the cannibal sandwiches because of the dangers associated with consuming raw meat, this apparently hasn’t stopped people from serving the dish in question to their family and friends. Some people never learn.
Officials said that over a dozen people were reportedly sickened by the appetizer last year alone. Milwaukee historian John Gurda explained that the cannibal sandwiches began as a tradition at funerals and holiday parties in Germany and Poland. However, the appetizer became increasingly obscure due to the dangers associated with eating raw meat.
ABC News reports that the dish is popular in certain regions of the Midwest, though it’s commonly found in southern Wisconsin around the holidays. In addition to E. coli infections, those with a fondness for the dish also have to worry about salmonella, listeria, and campylobacter.
Wisconsin Department of Health epidemic intelligent service officer Abbey Canon warned cannibal sandwich aficionados that ground beef should reach an internal temperature of at least 160 degrees in order to kill off any harmful bacteria. Otherwise, you’re putting others at risk. In short: Eat the appetizer in question at your own peril.
Despite efforts from officials to spread the word about the dish, some people insist on scarfing down raw meat on a cracker. In fact, six people who were seriously sickened by cannibal sandwiches said they wouldn’t have a problem eating the appetizer again.
According to Top News, the CDC previously encountered over 50 cases of cannibal sandwich-related sickness in 1972, 1978 and, 1994 through Wisconsin. Although officials tried their best to warn folks about the inherent dangers of eating raw meat, people who simply adore the dish can’t help themselves around the holidays.
“In spite of progressing effort deliberations tending to the dangers connected with expending undercooked or crude ground meat, this territorial occasion convention proceeds to be connected with flare-ups,” the CDC said in a recent statement.
What do you think about Wisconsin residents scarfing down cannibal sandwiches during the holidays? Would you risk your health to try one of these peculiar appetizers?
