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E.Coli outbreak kills two; 28 more are sick
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Seriously? Again?
Yes. E.Coli has again been reintroduced into the American food chain this time by Fairbank Farms in Asheville, New York. The E.Coli contamination has resulted in the deaths of two people, hospitalized 16, and has impaired the kidney function of three others. It appears that a selection of ground beef from Fairbank Farms was contaminated during packaging of September 15th and September 16th. Consequently, Fairbanks has recalled 545,699 pounds of ground beef distributed to various locations throughout the country including much of the Northeast and as far south as North Carolina and Virginia.
A complete list of the affected products can be found at the USDA's website here.
The labels of the exact products affected by the recall can be found in a PDF here.
The good news? The cases of E.Coli have thus far only been reported in the Northeast. Nashville area residents should have little to fear. Nashville citizens should feel free to chomp down on the ground beef without a second thought.
E.Coli is a bacteria is a deadly strain of bacteria that can attack a person's kidneys inhibiting their function. It can also cause bloody diarrhea and dehydration.
E.Coli Outbreaks of recent memory:
Courtesy of the Center for Disease Control (CDC)
2009:
- Beef from JBS Swift Beef company infects 23 people with E.Coli in 9 states (July 2009)
- Cookie Dough from Nestle Toll House infects 72 people with E.Coli in 30 states (June 2009)
2008:
- Beef bought at Kroger grocery stores infects 49 people with E.Coli in 8 states (June/July 2008)
2007:
- Frozen pepperoni pizzas from Totino's/Jeno's infects 18 people in 10 states including 8 citizens from Tennessee (November 2007)
- 21.7 million pounds of Topp's Brand ground beef patties were recalled due to possible E.Coli contamination that infected 40 people in 8 states (October 2007)
2006:
- Onions from Taco Bell restaurants infect 52 (possibly 71) people in 5 states with E.Coli (December 2006)
- Spinach from Natural Selections infects 199 people in 26 states with E.Coli and results in the deaths of 3 people.
Since the death of four children due to E.Coli in 1993 from Jack in the Box hamburgers, the USDA and CDC has tried to prevent as many outbreaks of the strain of bacteria as possible. However, as the reader can see, even the best efforts have failed many U.S. citizens. E.Coli is often the result of poor safety controls during the manufacturing/processing/packaging of food items.
To avoid as much contamination as possible a person who eats ground beef should wash his or her hands before making the beef. He or she should make sure to wash the ground beef under water. He or she should then make sure that the meat is cooked to at least 160 degrees Fahrenheit before consuming the product.
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