Over 100 people across the country have been sickened by an E. coli outbreak that has baffled experts at the Centers for Disease Control. Now it finally has a source: ground beef.
The CDC has issued an update on the E.coli outbreak in six states and believes that ground beef is likely to blame. Unfortunately the agency has not been able to pin point a specific brand or supplier where the affected beef is coming from so it has not issued any recalls yet. Since consumers have reported getting sick after eating ground beef both at home and restaurants it makes it more difficult to determine the source.
OUTBREAK from ground beef: 109 E. coli illnesses. If dividing raw ground beef into packages to freeze, wash hands and surfaces or items the meat touches to prevent illness. https://t.co/ynmPVISxZu pic.twitter.com/VVGlfxIpg8
— CDC (@CDCgov) April 15, 2019
So far the states affected by the outbreak include Indiana, Ohio, Kentucky, Virginia, Tennessee and Georgia. This is the third largest multi-state E. Coli outbreak in the past 20 years.
For the time being the CDC is not making an official recommendation to stop eating ground beef, however it is urging people to take food safety precautions when cooking and eating. Ground beef should be cooked to an internal temperature of 160 degrees. You should keep raw meat separate from other foods and make sure to clean any utensils, cutting boards or other surfaces that raw meat comes in contact with, as well as washing your hands.
—Shahrzad Warkentin
Featured photo: Angele J via Pexels
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