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The USDA's E. coli Loophole
What do you do with meat that's contaminated with E. coli bacteria? Slap a "cook-only" label on and sell that shit (pun definitely intended), says the USDA.
The Chicago Tribune reports on a little known "E. Coli loophole:" If the deadly bacteria is found in meat during processing, companies can still sell the meat if they label it as "cook-only." The reasoning seems sound, since cooking kills the germs, but inspectors say the practice is more dangerous than it appears:
...some USDA inspectors say the "cook only" practice means that higher-than-appropriate levels of E. coli are tolerated in packing plants, raising the chance that clean meat will become contaminated. They say the "cook only" practice is part of the reason for this year's sudden rise in incidents of E. coli contamination.
E. coli has been making headlines a whole lot lately. First there was the spinach scare; then the Topps recall; and just a few weeks ago, the Cargill recall. There's no evidence that the cook-only loophole has to do with any of this, but it sure doesn't make hamburgers sound any more appetizing.
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In 1993, TV news anchors said that people were eating beef that was contaminated with E.coli, but I did nothing because I had never heard of E.coli before.
Then the news broke that people in another part of Washington State were affected by this E.coli outbreak, but I did nothing, because my family and I could just avoid that area.
Then there was the news that the E.coli outbreak was connected to hamburgers eaten at Jack in the Box restaurants, but I did nothing, because we could just avoid that restaurant and avoid eating hamburgers.
Then my son, Riley, became ill with E.coli ? contracting the pathogen from a child who had eaten at Jack in the Box and become sick, but I could do nothing more than stand by and let the doctors try to make him better.
Then my son died from the E.coli illness, and there was no time left for this 16 month-old.
In 1993, TV news anchors said that people were eating beef that was contaminated with E.coli, but I did nothing because I had never heard of E.coli before.
Then the news broke that people in another part of Washington State were affected by this E.coli outbreak, but I did nothing, because my family and I could just avoid that area.
Then there was the news that the E.coli outbreak was connected to hamburgers eaten at Jack in the Box restaurants, but I did nothing, because we could just avoid that restaurant and avoid eating hamburgers.
Then my son, Riley, became ill with E.coli ? contracting the pathogen from a child who had eaten at Jack in the Box and become sick, but I could do nothing more than stand by and let the doctors try to make him better.
Then my son died from the E.coli illness, and there was no time left for this 16 month-old.
In 1993, TV news anchors said that people were eating beef that was contaminated with E.coli, but I did nothing because I had never heard of E.coli before.
Then the news broke that people in another part of Washington State were affected by this E.coli outbreak, but I did nothing, because my family and I could just avoid that area.
Then there was the news that the E.coli outbreak was connected to hamburgers eaten at Jack in the Box restaurants, but I did nothing, because we could just avoid that restaurant and avoid eating hamburgers.
Then my son, Riley, became ill with E.coli contracting the pathogen from a child who had eaten at Jack in the Box and become sick, but I could do nothing more than stand by and let the doctors try to make him better.
Then my son died from the E.coli illness, and there was no time left for this 16 month-old.
What exactly does that mean "cook only"? People usually DO cook meat. And this is supposed to help how? Unbelievable.
Well, maybe not given the record of this (and other) administrations in terms of food safety.
Phooey!
Darin - so sorry for your loss - you must have been devastated.
Neo-cons keep arguing that the government shouldn't be involved in anything - but just who exactly is supposed to be doing this, I'd really like to know!
We have seen already how well self-regulation works. NOT!