Canada’s Latest Beef with Beef

We’re amidst the largest beef recall this country has ever seen. With more than 1500 products being recalled in all Canadian provinces and territories and extending to just about all the states in America too. The beef with our beef?  E.Coli, or Escherichia Coli bacteria.

E.Coli is the bacteria that lives in the intestines of animals, and people for that matter too. There are several different strains. Some of much are harmless and can be an important part of healthy human intestinal tracts. Others however, like E.Coli 0157:H7 which are pathogenic and can cause illness like diarrhea, urinary tract infections, respiratory illness, and at extremes kidney failure or even death. It’s usually transmitted through contaminated food, water, infected people or animal and common culprits and improper hand washing and cooking of beef. Symptoms of infection to watch out for include abdominal pain, vomiting and diarrhea (which may or may not be bloody). They can appear anywhere within one to ten days, but are usually seen in three to four days, and last anywhere from five to ten days. The remedy is plenty of fluids and rest, but if symptoms are severe medical attention is advised.  

For the record, E.Coli usually disappears in our number two by the time the illness is resolved. Young children tend to carry it longer than adults, and some people may keep ‘shedding’ the bacteria for several weeks or even months, even after symptoms have disappeared. Good hand washing is smart and the best way to protect yourself, your family, and others.

The power of hand washing should not be underestimated. 80% of common infections are spread by hands. American Society of Microbiology studies show that 97% of females and 92% of males say they wash their hands, but in reality only about 75% females and 58% males really do wash. Of the people who do wash, how many people actually do it properly, i.e. more than just a quick flick under the tap. It’s something simple enough, but the majority of us just don’t do this properly. Sure we use warm water, soap and a dry towel, but the real culprit to washing hands ineffectively is not washing them long enough. You know you’ve washed them long enough when you can sing Twinkle Twinkle or Happy Birthday (and if at a public restroom preferably in your head) while doing so. Even if they appear to be clean, they can still carry germs. Washing your hands at least five times a day has been shown to significantly decrease the frequency of colds, flus and other infections. An alcohol based hand sanitizer can be useful when soap and warm water aren’t available. They can be useful are killing many bacteria and viruses, but are often not that effective for killing the bugs that cause diarrhea. For their maximal hand sanitizer effectiveness, use in addition to hand washing and make sure it contains at least 60% alcohol.

It’s useful to note that E.Coli bacteria can be killed by high heat temperatures. Best practice is to always use a thermometer to check internal temperatures of protein containing foods like fish, poultry and meat. Color or smell are not reliable indicators to say that meat is cooked, let alone ‘fit’ to eat. Ground and fresh beef is considered safe when it has reached an internal cooking temperature of 160°F. Other potentially high risk for E.Coli foods include unpasteurized juice, milk, cheese made with unpasteurized milk, and alfalfa sprouts. Prevent cross contamination in food areas by not only washing hands, but also counters, cutting boards, utensils and any other kitchen object that may come in contact with raw meat. Details for advisories and public warnings on foods, such as this recent beef recall, can be most reliably found on the Canadian Food Inspection Agency website: www.inspection.gc.ca.

As seen in The Telegram October 8, 2012