Food engineers warn: 6 products you should never bring into your kitchen

Food engineers have issued a series of warnings by listing products they say they would never allow into their kitchens. Highlighting foods that consumers often unknowingly add to their shopping baskets, experts stressed that these items can pose serious health risks, emphasizing each category with the phrase: 'I would never bring this into my home.' The nutrients in the foods we consume daily play a vital role in enabling our body's cells to perform essential functions. Nutrients are fundamental to growth, development, maintenance of bodily functions, and emotional stability, making them one of the main pillars of human health. Poor nutrition can damage metabolic processes and lead to deteriorating health. Just as frequently consuming foods high in sugar or fat can be harmful, inadequate or insufficient nutrition can also cause serious damage to the body. However, even products we choose believing they are fresh and healthy may, in fact, cause hidden harm. Food engineers have therefore outlined the products they would never buy from either markets or grocery stores. They stressed that the most critical factors when purchasing food are maintaining the cold chain, traceability, and packaging safety. Here are six food groups that food engineers say they would never keep in their kitchens: Milk and Dairy Products If the cold chain (keeping milk at +4°C from milking to consumption) is broken, these products can become serious health threats. Temperature changes destroy nutritional value and allow bacteria to produce heat-resistant toxins that cannot be eliminated even by boiling, potentially causing long-term health problems. Illegal chemicals added to mask spoilage further expose consumers to microbiological and chemical risks. Uncovered cottage cheese, butter, and kashar cheese are exposed to dust, insects, and airborne microbes, while improper temperatures encourage the growth of deadly bacteria and toxin-producing molds. Cottage cheese can become toxic very quickly, butter can undergo chemical spoilage due to oxidation, and shared cutting tools increase cross-contamination risks in cheeses like kashar. Unrefrigerated Meat, Poultry, and Deli Products In meat and poultry, this can lead to the spread of heat-resistant toxins that cause severe food poisoning and organ damage. In deli products, broken cold chains also promote Listeria growth and chemical degradation of fats. Unlabeled or Cracked Eggs Dirt on the shell harbors bacteria, and even tiny cracks allow microbes to enter and multiply. Without traceability, there is also a higher risk of consuming stale eggs or being exposed to antibiotic and drug residues. Out-of-Season Fruits and Vegetables These chemicals can accumulate in the body, causing hormonal disorders and long-term health issues. Such products also have lower vitamin and antioxidant content and may contain synthetic waxes and preservatives that burden the digestive system. Oils, Sauces, and Pastes in Plastic Packaging Plastic also accelerates oxidation and allows microplastics to leach into acidic foods like tomato paste and sauces, increasing cancer and toxicity risks—especially when exposed to heat and light. Finally, food engineers emphasized that these risks are even more critical in households with babies, children, elderly individuals, pregnant women, or people with weakened immune systems, urging consumers to be far more cautious about what they eat.