E. coli in meat making the news.

With summer and outdoor barbecues in full swing, Americans are once again being faced with E. coli worries. Over the weekend, the Associated Press reported that United Food Group LLC expanded a ground beef recall, which now includes about 5.7 million pounds of fresh and frozen meat that may be contaminated with E. coli. Here is the article in the San Francisco Chronicle. Recently in Fresno, The Meat Market catering sold pre-cooked tri-tip contaminated with E. coli, which made 11 people ill, according to the Fresno Bee.

I have noticed in the news coverage, the general media outlets say "E. coli" when they mean "E. coli 0157:H7." According to the USDA, it is the virulent strain of the bacteria that was detected in the meat distributed by United Food Group LLC.

Almost all people and animals have E. coli in their systems. It is harmless, according to Edward "Rob" Atwill, a UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine specialist in waterborne infectious diseases. In 1982, the O157:H7 strain first became known as a result of an outbreak associated with hamburger meat. E. coli O157:H7 is a potentially deadly bacterium that can cause bloody diarrhea, dehydration and lead to kidney failure. Children, senior citizens and people with compromised immune systems are most susceptible.

According to Atwill, scientists believe that only 10 to 100 bacteria can cause disease in humans; a large animal with E. coli O157:H7, such as a cow, sometimes can shed millions of bacteria per gram of feces. For more information, see the UC Cooperative Extension food safety media kit.

Rob Atwill

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