How Safe Is Your Ground Beef

Consumer Reports has come out with an eye-opening story that says food poisoning outbreaks and recalls of bacteria-tainted ground beef are all too frequent. New test results reaffirmed that ground beef has bacteria in it, and unless we cook it well and kill the bacteria, we can get seriously sick, especially when it is cooked at rare or medium-rare temperatures under 160 degrees. Up to 28% of Americans eat ground beef that's raw or undercooked. Food poisoning occurs when we ingest undercooked ground beef.

The consequences of eating tainted beef can be severe. Before the July 4 holiday, 13.5 tons of ground beef and steak destined for restaurants and other food service operations were recalled on a single day because of E. coli. When it enters our bodies, a toxin damages the lining of the intestine, often leading to stomach cramps, bloody stools, diarrhea, vomiting and sometimes life-threatening kidney damage. Food poisoning is quite under reported. Many of the cases of E. coli and salmonella go unreported to the authorities. Much of this can be avoided if you just cook your burgers well. If they're too dry for you, immerse them in beef broth after cooking and you have a juicy burger that's tasty and safe! Will you change how you cook beef based on this information?