Ground Beef Contains Dangerous Bacteria, Study Finds

time.com ^ | 08-24-2015 12:05 PM ET | Alexandra Siffelin

[Red Badger]

Store-bought ground beef often contains a variety of bacteria that can make humans sick and is resistant to the drugs used to treat it, according to new data from Consumer Reports.

While most bacteria in meat can be killed when cooked correctly, many Americans prefer to eat their meat rare, putting them at a greater risk for illness—especially when the meat comes from conventionally raised cows, which are treated with antibiotics and hormones, according to a new Consumer Reports study. The study found that nearly 20% of ground beef in the U.S. tested from conventionally raised cows had bacteria resistant to three or more classes of antibiotics. Only 9% of ground beef that was sustainably made had antibiotic-resistant bacteria.

For the report, Consumer Reports purchased and tested 300 packages of conventionally and sustainably produced ground beef sold in stores around the U.S. The meat was tested for five common types of bacteria that can be found in beef: Clostridium perfringens, E. coli, Enterococcus, Salmonella and Staphylococcus aureus. Bacteria of some kind was found in all of the beef samples,

[snip]

More than 80% of conventional ground beef had two types of bacteria and nearly 20% of the samples contained C. perfringens, which causes close to a million cases of food poisoning every year. “There’s no way to tell by looking at a package of meat or smelling it whether it has harmful bacteria or not,” Urvashi Rangan, executive director of the Center for Food Safety and Sustainability at Consumer Reports, said.“You have to be on guard every time.”

The research also found that 10% of the samples had a strain of S. aureus that produces a toxin that can make people ill and is not killed even when the meat is cooked properly.

[Calvin Locke]

Time is long past its prime. I can't believe it's still around, even in digital form.

The article was poorly written, poorly edited, if at all, and full of misleading information in an agenda-driven effort.

Before I read the entire article, I figured it was an AGW war-cry to stop eating beef because of cow methane, not an attempt to discredit the big food/big pharma industrial complex.

[GeronL]

I cook mine through and through, no red.

If this was true then the death toll should be 100,000 per day!!1

[A Navy Vet]

"While most bacteria in meat can be killed when cooked correctly, many Americans prefer to eat their meat rare, putting them at a greater risk for illness—especially when the meat comes from conventionally raised cows,..."

Wow, good job Consumer Reports. As if no one has ever known that under cooked beef (free range or not) is a potential hazard to gastric distress. Next thing they will tell us that under cooked chicken can harbor salmonella. Thanks for the update. Guess I'll switch to kale and tofu.

[wbill]

and then you cook it

Exactly. But, lets not let common sense get in the way of click-generating hyperbole.

The title: "Ground Beef. Perfectly safe if cooked properly!" just wouldn't generate the same hype.

[glasseye]

I studied Biology.
Bacteria is EVERYWHERE.
Cook your food and carry on.

[Red Badger]

For now, anyways....................

[Ditter]

I have never gotten sick from eating hamburger, either purchased or raised by us.

I have gotten sick 4 times from food. Once in Mexico not surprising, in France twice and once in Switzerland. They were all the kind of intestinal infections that hung on for weeks gradually resolving themselves.

Switzerland hung on the longest.

[Red Badger]

STEAK TATARE........................

[ConservativeInPA]

Oh noes, I am scared. Please, please government do something to protect me.

[Red Badger]

STEAK TATARE.............Beware, uncooked eggs can kill you!............too...................

[colorado tanker]

What a stupid article. This has been known for at least 100 years. Any time you grind meat you can spread topical bacteria.

That's why you cook it.

This problem could be eliminated by irradiating the meat, but the anti-nuke Luddites have always blocked that.

[prisoner6]

meh. I grew up and live is Pittsburgh. We have always eaten cannibal sandwiches. Raw ground meat, slice of raw onion. My dad and I ate them often.

The only bad thing that has happened here is rampant socialism.

[CatherineofAragon]

LOL

[Roos_Girl]

Another article that people don’t read and still want to post snark. Brilliant.

[Nep Nep]

if you’re eating ground beef rare you are asking to get sick... it’s not filet mignon, folks

[Nep Nep]

the only way to make that meal any dumber is to season it with metal and glass shards

[Red Badger]

Maybe that’s the connection!.........................

[Red Badger]

That’s extra.........................

[Red Badger]

What do you call a cow with no legs?

Stumpy............................

[Red Badger]

I would buy it. It would be better preserved and no danger to anyone..................................