Three important ways to steer clear of E. coli
Last week, that big outbreak of E. coli traced to romaine lettuce turned deadly when an unidentified person from California became the first reported fatality.
Meanwhile, over 100 others have been sickened by this lethal lettuce in dozens of states throughout the country.
One of the big dangers of E. coli is a complication called “hemolytic-uremic syndrome,” where damaged red blood cells can trigger kidney failure, and at least 14 people who ate the tainted romaine are being treated for that life-threatening condition right now.
It’s hard to believe that just the innocent activity of eating a salad could shut your kidneys down and kill you!
And despite the fact that it appears like health departments all over the country and the entire CDC are hot on the case, we were only ever told to avoid lettuce from the Yuma, Arizona “growing region.”
That really pins things down, right?
But although this particular crisis is drawing to a close as the growing season in that part of the country ends, the next deadly outbreak could be right around the corner.
And unless you know how to protect yourself, you could be the next victim.
A path for pathogens
Practically anything — from beef to veggies — can harbor E. coli.
And last December, I told you how that pathogen has also been found in uncooked flour – as in what you use to make cake or bread. That means that licking the cookie dough spoon can be just as risky as eating raw meat!
In that particular case, it was discovered that wheat can be contaminated by the droppings from cattle or deer as they walk through fields. Yuck!
While the exact cause of this current romaine outbreak has yet to be determined, such contamination can occur anywhere from farm to table.
And although you can never be 100 percent sure that the food you’re eating hasn’t been tainted, there’s a lot you can do to protect yourself and your family from this deadly pathogen… starting with:
- Making rare a rarity: One of the “best” ways to ingest some really bad bugs is by consuming undercooked meat, especially hamburgers. Pre-ground beef can come from hundreds of different animals, any of which could be contaminated during processing.
And when cooking meat, be sure it reaches an internal temperature of at least 160 degrees Fahrenheit, which is the minimum needed to kill E. coli bacteria. For chicken, the safe temp is a little higher, 165 F.
- Singling out sprouts: This “health” food is actually anything but. Sprouts are the perfect medium for breeding coli bacteria, as they also need warm, soggy conditions to grow. And they carry a risk of salmonella and listeria as well.
- Curbing contamination: Cross-contamination, in which otherwise safe food gets adulterated with coli and other pathogens, can occur much more easily than you might think. Simply an infinitesimal drop or two of juice from raw meat might be all it takes to turn a salad — or anything else that you’re eating – potentially deadly.
When storing raw meat or poultry in the fridge, don’t let the juices drip onto any other foods. And be sure to not only wash your hands sufficiently (at least 15 seconds under hot, soapy water) after touching them, but decontaminate any plates, cutting boards, or utensils that were used by either putting them through the dishwasher or giving them a thorough washing under very hot water.
But what about food you eat raw, such as a salad with romaine in it?
Unfortunately, while washing might remove some surface bacteria, enough can remain to make you sick. On top of that, the pathogen can lodge in the cracks and crevices in lettuce leaves, where it is nearly impossible to rinse off.
That doesn’t that mean you shouldn’t thoroughly wash your greens and veggies! But it does tell us that anyone who is pregnant, undergoing cancer treatments, or has an immune deficiency should probably steer clear of any food (including soft cheeses, another hotbed of contamination) that can’t be cooked enough to kill these sickening pathogens.
Some cooks go through the extra trouble of rinsing lettuce and other produce in a solution of one tablespoon hydrogen peroxide (the kind sold in most every store) to around a gallon of water. Swish things around for a bit and then rinse thoroughly. While that won’t get every contaminant off, it should be better than water alone.
“E. coli outbreak linked to romaine lettuce turns deadly” Debra Goldschmidt, May 2, 2018, CNN, cnn.com
