Loophole lets you eat E. coli meat

[babylonsister]

Loophole lets you eat E. coli meat
e-mail print

Sunday, November 11, 2007

By STEPHEN J. HEDGES
CHICAGO TRIBUNE



One federal inspector calls it the "E. coli loophole." Another says, "Nobody would buy it if they knew."

The officials are referring to the little-discussed fact that the U.S. Department of Agriculture has deemed it acceptable for meat companies to cook and sell meat on which E. coli, a bacteria that can sicken and even kill humans, is found during processing.

The "E. coli loophole" affects millions of pounds of beef each year that tests positive for the presence of E. coli O157:H7, a particularly virulent strain of the bacteria.

The agency allows companies to put this E. coli positive meat in a special category -- "cook only."

Cooking the meat, the USDA and producers say, destroys the bacteria and makes it safe to eat as pre-cooked hamburgers, meat loaf, crumbled taco meat and other products.

But some USDA inspectors say the "cook only" practice means that higher-than-appropriate levels of E. coli are tolerated in packing plants, raising the chance that clean meat will become contaminated. They say the "cook only" practice is part of the reason for this year's sudden rise in incidents of E. coli contamination.

"All the product that is E. coli positive, they put a 'cooking only' tag on it," said one inspector, who like other federal inspectors interviewed asked to remain anonymous for fear they would lose their jobs. "They (companies) will test, and everything that's positive, they slap that label on."

more...

http://www.northjersey.com/page.php?qstr=eXJpcnk3ZjczN2Y3dnFlZUVFeXkzJmZnYmVsN2Y3dnFlZUVFeXk3MjIwNjM4JnlyaXJ5N2Y3MTdmN3ZxZWVFRXl5Mg==

[Rabo Karabekian]

1. That's Not All

A lot of the internet conspiracy sites say that mad cow is alive and well in our meat too. Go vegetarian!

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

2. How common is e. coli?

[babylonsister]

3. Apparently, no one really knows:

http://www.oregon.gov/DHS/ph/acd/diseases/ecoli/facts.shtml

What is Escherichia coli O157:H7?
Escherichia coli (E. coli) O157:H7 is a cause of diarrhea (frequent and watery bowel movements). E. coli O157:H7 is one of many of kinds of the bacterium Escherichia coli. Although most types of E. coli are harmless and live in the intestines (guts) of healthy humans and animals, the O157:H7 type produces a powerful toxin that can cause severe illness.

E. coli O157:H7 was first recognized as a cause of illness in 1982, during an outbreak of bloody diarrhea; that outbreak was traced to undercooked hamburgers.

How common are E. coli O157:H7 infections?
No one knows with any certainty. By one estimate,10,000 to 20,000 infections occur in the United States each year.

What are the symptoms of E. coli infection?
Infections can be very mild (even asymptomatic) or very severe, even fatal. E. coli O157:H7 typically causes diarrhea, often bloody, and often with vomiting or severe stomach cramps. Fever is usually very mild or nonexistent. Illness typically lasts two to ten days.

What are the complications of E. coli infection?
In some persons, mostly young children, the infection can also cause hemolytic uremic syndrome, a kind of kidney failure. About 2% to 7% of reported infections lead to this problem. In the United States, hemolytic uremic syndrome is the principle cause of acute kidney failure in children, and most cases of hemolytic uremic syndrome are caused by E. coli O157:H7.

How is an E. coli O157:H7 infection diagnosed?
E. coli O157:H7 infection is diagnosed by stool culture (testing the bowel movement).

How is the illness treated?
Unfortunately, there is no one treatment that has been found to be effective against E. coli O157:H7, and it is possible that some antibiotics may increase the risk of problems. Anti-diarrheal agents, such as loperamide (Imodium®), should also be avoided. Some patients become dehydrated and may need IV fluids.

Hemolytic uremic syndrome is a life-threatening condition usually treated in an intensive care unit. Blood transfusions and kidney dialysis are often required. Even with intensive care, the death rate for hemolytic uremic syndrome is 3% to 5%. Some survivors may have permanent kidney and other problems.

How is E. coli O157:H7 spread?
E. coli O157:H7 is spread by eating undercooked meat (usually hamburger), drinking unpasteurized (raw) milk or juice, by swallowing polluted water (drinking water, pool water, rivers, lakes), or by eating hard-to-clean raw vegetables (like sprouts or lettuce) contaminated with the bacteria. It can also be spread from an infected person to another when hand washing is let.

The bacteria are common in herds of healthy cattle and have been found in deer, sheep, goats, and other animals. Meat or milk infected with animal waste can lead to disease, unless the bacteria are killed by cooking. Meat can become contaminated while being butchered. The bacteria may also be passed from the animal's waste to a nearby water source.

[Der Blaue Engel]

4. Can I just get my poo on the side, please?

I don't think I want to eat e-coli meat through a "loophole." :puke:

[sandnsea]

5. I thought they irradiated it

I recall reading that a few years ago. This is the meat that's in canned chili, etc. We really shouldn't eat anything that isn't grown locally. It's not just the safety, it's just plain more nutritious and healthier. Grass-fed beef has more of the Omega 3's that artificially fattened cattle are missing. Packaged food is like a glucose injection, sends your blood sugar soaring every single time. I hope as the boomers retire they turn their attention to some of these other fights that desperately need attention too.

[NightWatcher]

6. 2.8 million pounds of 'cook only' beef bought by USDA for children's lunches

Ok, I going veggie.

They refuse to admit how much (?tons) are labeled cook only every year.

[GrpCaptMandrake]

7. I spent about 45 minutes on this story

on last night's "Head-On With Bob Kincaid." Free downloadable archive available at: http://server2.whiterosesociety.org/content/kincaid/KincaidShow-(15-11-2007).mp3

What a story! The best part? Millions of pounds of "Cook Only" e. coli meat gets served up to our children in school lunches every year. The school boards don't know about it, the parents don't know about it, the children don't know about it. Just the industry and the politicians who let them get away with it.

Yay, free market! Yay, lobbyists! Yay, de-regulation! Yay, "voluntary corporate compliance!" Yay, politicians who take money from the American Meat Institute!


Get On The H.O.R.N.!
America's Independently Operated Liberal Voice
www.headonradionetwork.com
and
iTunes Radio (Talk/Spoken Word)