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E. COLI O157 - USA (08): GROUND BEEF
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A ProMED-mail post
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International Society for Infectious Diseases
<http://www.isid.org>
Date: Tue 3 Nov 2009
Source: CNN [edited]
<http://www.king5.com/news/consumer/28-people-now-sick-from-E-coli-outbreak-68865557.html>
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC] said 28 people in 12
states from California to Maine are now infected with matching strains of
_Escherichia coli_ [O157] after an outbreak in ground beef. Of those
people, 16 are in hospitals and 3 have developed kidney failure as a result
of the contamination, CDC said late on Monday [2 Nov 2009] adding that 2
people have died after becoming infected.
The US Department of Agriculture announced last week [week of 26 Oct 2009]
that Fairbank Farms in Ashville, New York, was recalling more than half a
million pounds [about 250 000 kg] of fresh ground beef products that may be
contaminated with a strain of _E. coli_. The products subject to recall
were sent to retailers including Trader Joe's, Price Chopper, Lancaster,
and Wild Harvest, Shaw's, BJ's, Ford Brothers, and Giant Food Stores. The
exact products affected are listed on the USDA's website.
The recall was for distribution centers in 8 states, but Fairbank Farms
said some retailers may have sent the affected beef to other states. Each
package is printed with "EST. 492" inside the USDA mark of inspection or on
the nutrition label. They were packaged on 15 and 16 Sep 2009 and may have
been labeled at the retail stores with a sell-by date from 19 to 28 Sep
2009 through 28, the USDA said.
The USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service [FSIS] advised consumers to
safely prepare raw meat products, whether they are fresh or frozen, and
only consume ground beef that has been cooked to a temperature of 160 deg F
[71 deg C].
The only way to be sure ground beef is cooked to a high enough temperature
to kill harmful bacteria is to use a food thermometer to measure the
internal temperature, the FSIS said.
Of the 28 people infected from the outbreak, 8 are in Massachusetts; 4 are
in each of Connecticut and New Hampshire; 2 are in each of Maine,
Pennsylvania, and South Dakota; and there is 1 in each of California,
Maryland, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, and Vermont, according to CDC.
--
communicated by:
ProMED-mail
<promed@promedmail.org>
[Unless the outbreak strain is a hypertoxin producer, there is no doubt
that there are many more cases than so far described as the percentage of
cases of renal failure and of death are much higher than expected.
USDA Food Safety & Inspection Service (FSIS) recommendations for preparing
ground beef for safe consumption should minimize ground beef-associated
O157 cases, but are more problematic with food eaten uncooked such as
spinach. The recommendations are:
- wash hands with warm, soapy water for at least 20 seconds before and
after handling raw meat and poultry. Wash cutting boards, dishes, and
utensils with hot, soapy water. Immediately clean spills.
- keep raw meat, fish, and poultry away from other food that will not be
cooked. Use separate cutting boards for raw meat, poultry, and egg products
and cooked foods.
- consumers should only eat ground beef or ground beef patties that have
been cooked to a safe internal temperature of 160 deg F (71 deg C).
- color is NOT a reliable indicator that ground beef or ground beef patties
have been cooked to a temperature high enough to kill harmful bacteria such
as _E. coli_ O157:H7.
- the only way to be sure ground beef is cooked to a high enough
temperature to kill harmful bacteria is to use a thermometer to measure the
internal temperature.
- refrigerate raw meat and poultry within 2 hours after purchase or one
hour if temperatures exceed 90 deg F (32.2 deg C). Refrigerate cooked meat
and poultry within 2 hours after cooking. - Mod.LL]
[see also:
E. coli O157 - USA (07): refrigerated cookie dough 20090710.2473
E. coli O157 - USA (06): beef, recall, RFI 20090702.2389
E. coli O157 - USA (05): refrigerated cookie dough, CDC 20090701.2381
E. coli O157 - USA (04): refrigerated cookie dough 20090630.2371
E. coli O157 - USA (03): beef, recall 20090629.2354
E. coli O157 - USA (02): refrigerated cookie dough 20090623.2291
E. coli O157 - USA: refrigerated cookie dough 20090619.2259
2008
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E. coli O157 - USA (09): (WA), susp. 20081021.3336
E. coli O157 - USA (08): (CA), cooked beef 20081007.3181
E. coli O157, university students - USA (06): California lettuce 20081015.3266
E. coli O157, university students - USA: (MI) 20080922.2987
E. coli O157 - USA (07): (MA) alert 20080811.2475
E. coli O157 - USA: (OH, MI), unknown source 20080624.1947
E. coli O157, lettuce - USA: (WA) 20080606.1807
E. coli O157, restaurant - USA: (HI) 20080228.0811
2007
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E. coli O157, ground beef - USA (multistate) (09) 20071126.3823
E. coli O157, ground beef - USA (multistate) (08): Canada 20071029.3511
E. coli O157, ground beef - USA (multistate) (04): 2nd manufacturer
20071007.3304
E. coli O157, ground beef - USA (multistate) (03): CDC report 20071003.3272
E. coli O157, ground beef - USA (multistate): alert, recall 20070927.3201
E. coli O157, ground beef - USA (NY): alert, recall 20070926.3190
E. coli O157, ground beef - USA (WA, OR): alert 20070830.2855
E. coli O157, ground beef - USA (NY) 20070725.2387
E. coli VTEC, prisoners - USA (CO) (02) 20070714.2263
E. coli VTEC, prisoners - USA (CO): RFI 20070712.2236
E. coli O157, ground beef - USA (west) (03): expanded recall 20070611.1902
E. coli O157, ground beef - USA (west): recall 20070606.1831
E. coli O157, ground beef - USA (multistate): recall 20070514.1532
E. coli O157, steak - USA (PA): recall 20070426.1362
E. coli O157, restaurant - USA (CA) (03) 20070410.1204
E. coli O157, restaurant - USA (CA) 20070403.1131
E. coli O157, spinach - USA (multistate): 2006, FDA report 20070326.1051
E. coli O157, bagged salad greens - USA (multistate) 20070121.0288
E. coli O157, lettuce - USA (multistate): 2006 20070112.0158]
.................ll/mj/sh
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