E. Coli and Beef Safety

by kiwilog

Readers of the New York Times might already be familiar with the paper’s unsettling story about Stephanie Smith, a young woman who was paralyzed from the waist down after eating beef tainted with E. coli. The article points out that selling ground beef tainted with E. coli has been banned since 1994—and though Smith’s case is an extreme example, federal health officials say the harmful bacteria is still causing tens of thousands of people to fall ill each year. How to ensure the meat your family eats is safe? Consider these tips:

Choose whole cuts of beef. Ground beef is a mishmash of low-grade cuts of meat which come from parts of a cow that are more likely to be in contact with feces—and therefore, E. coli. What’s more, since a single package of ground beef can come from multiple sources, it’s difficult to trace the origin of harmful bacteria. Whole cuts of beef, on the other hand, are higher-quality, and come from a single source.
Meet your (meat) maker. If possible, seek out meat from a local producer. Small farmers often eschew large-scale meat production practices like crowding cows or leaving them in dirty conditions, which translates to safer beef. What’s more, the beef is more likely to be free of hormones or antibiotics, and could even be grass-fed.
Go organic. If a local farmer isn’t an option, choose all-natural, certified-organic beef. It’s produced under stricter (read: safer) standards, can be traced back to an original source, and guarantees that the cow was not fed animal by-products.
Cook smart. No matter what kind of beef you buy, it’s essential that proper precautions be taken in the kitchen. First, be sure to thaw frozen beef in the refrigerator to avoid spoilage. Also, store raw beef away from other foods and thoroughly wash hands, cutting boards, and utensils to avoid cross-contamination. Finally, cook beef to a safe internal temperature (check with a meat thermometer) to ensure any bacteria is destroyed.

-Marygrace, KIWI Staffer

Tags: beef safety, e. coli, grass-fed beef, ground beef, organic beef