Beef recall expanded
As we reported two days ago, a major recall of ground beef produced by United Food Group LLC has affected 13 Western states in the U.S.
Today, Safeway Inc.—which was not listed in our previous report—has announced an expanded voluntary recall of ground beef products with sell-by dates of April 7 through May 1, 2007.
The affected Safeway stores are only in Arizona.
In March 2000, a Reuters report cited by the Organic Consumers Association estimated that 89% of ground beef in the U.S. was tainted by small quantities of Escherichia coli 0157:H7, one of the most virulent of the disease-causing strains of the bacterium. (Ironically, E. coli constitutes a natural and healthy part of intestinal flora, although hundreds of strains of animal origin are known to be pathogenic in humans.) According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, as few as 10 of the organisms can start an infection that results in bloody diarrhea, fever, kidney failure and death.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) considers the e. coli strain in question to be one of the deadliest foodborne illnesses. The CDC estimated in 2000 that 52 Americans die annually from food contaminated with the bacteria, and 62,000 others are sickened. Those estimates have since risen and fallen, but remain close to current actuality. Less severe infections frequently go undiagnosed, while severe ones are more accurately reported now than they were previously. Twenty-five years ago, e. coli was not even recognized as a potential pathogen.
The best way to prevent illness resulting from eating the contaminated beef (other than avoiding it entirely) is to heat it to an internal temperature of 160° F (71° C) (well done).
On the other hand, better industry practice could completely eliminate the problem. For one thing, only acid-resistant e. coli 0157:H7 is problematic. E. coli does not normally survive exposure to stomach acid, but commercially raised cattle are fed grain rather than grazed on grass. Although grain-fed cattle fatten faster, the fermentation of the grain in the animal’s intestine leads to the acid-resistant strain that survives human digestion.
Furthermore, the existence of e. coli in beef indicates that the meat has been contaminated by feces.
