E. Coli Facts
Antibiotic-Resistant E. coli
A new study from researchers at the University of Calgary, published in Lancet Infectious Diseases, examines the possible rise of antibiotic-resistant strains of E. coli, including the potentially-lethal 0157:H7 strain. Researchers seem to be worried that the resistant strains may…
Microwave safety and E. coli
With outbreaks of E. coli 0157:H7 in frozen foods such as Jeno’s and Totino’s Pizza, the safety of microwave cooking has been intensely questioned and studied in order to provide safer products in the future. Many organizations in the food industry…
Ethanol and E. coli
2007 marked a drastic increase of recalled beef due to E. coli contamination, including the Topps Meat recall, the largest beef recall in U.S. history. There were 67 illnesses connected to the 20 recalls of 2007, as opposed to the 8…
2006 Spinach E. coli Outbreak Prompted Change
The 2006 outbreak of E. coli 0157:H7 from fresh spinach has prompted many growers to change their practices to ensure the safety of their produce. According to the Detroit Free Press, growers in Yuma, Arizona have been stepping up precautionary measures…
NFBF Calls for Mandatory Testing for Imported Beef Trim
The Nebraska Farm Bureau Federation (NFBF) has sent a letter to the USDA criticizing certain aspects of the Food Safety and Inspection Service’s upgraded protocol to deal with E. coli 0157:H7 contamination, according to the Brownfield Network. The NFBF has issues…
What is E. coli O157:H7?
Among the many strains of E. coli bacteria, E. coli O157:H7 is the one that is responsible for the majority of foodborne illnesses in the United States (1). E. coli O157:H7 was first identified in 1982 when it was traced to illnesses that…
E. coli and Grain-Fed Cattle
The debate continues as to whether grain-fed cattle are more likely to harbor deadly E. coli O157:H7 bacteria in their intestines. A recent Kansas State University study now finds that cattle fed distiller’s grain, a byproduct of the ethanol distilling process,…
E. coli Prevention: Cooking with Cameras
Three home-schooled girls found a new way to determine if hamburgers are cooked well enough to kill any E. coli bacteria—“burgercam” (from the Philadelphia Inquirer):
Above a stove, the girls mounted a camera that took a picture every 30 seconds. They…
