It is not safe to eat bacon raw. Despite being salt-cured, raw bacon can harbor harmful bacteria, viruses, and parasites such as Salmonella, Listeria, Trichinella (causing trichinosis), tapeworms, and toxoplasmosis, which can cause serious foodborne illnesses. Cooking bacon thoroughly to an internal temperature of at least 145°F (recommended higher by food safety experts) kills these pathogens and significantly reduces the risk of foodborne illness. Even smoked or cured bacon is unsafe to eat raw and must be fully cooked to be safe for consumption.