Wisconsin Health Department Warns People Not To Eat Raw Meat ‘Cannibal’ Sandwich

The Wisconsin Department of Health is warning people to pass on a holiday tradition–eating “Cannibal Sandwiches” which are raw meat sandwiches.

“Time for our annual reminder that there’s one #holiday tradition you need to pass on: raw meat sandwiches, sometimes called Tiger Meat or Cannibal Sandwiches,” the department said in a Facebook post Saturday. “Many Wisconsin families consider them to be a holiday tradition, but eating them poses a threat for Salmonella, E. coli O157:H7, Campylobacter and Listeria banter that can make you sick.”

“Remember, ground beef should ALWAYS be cooked,” the post continued.

The “Cannibal Sandwich” is raw meat typically served on rye bread with sliced onions, salt and pepper, according to the Wisconsin Historical Society. The group says the sandwiches are typically served at holiday parties or other gatherings in the Milwaukee area. (RELATED: Viral Tweet Asks People The 2 Foods They’d Eliminate ‘Forever’)

The U.S. Department of Agriculture warned in a 2018 post that the sandwiches sicken hundreds of people in the midwest each year.

Since 1986, there have been eight outbreaks tied to eating the raw ground meat sandwiches, including a 1994 Salmonella outbreak that sickened more than 150 people, according to the Wisconsin Department of Health Services.