Foods at Risk of Being Contaminated by E. Coli
By Sara Butler
Remember last year when the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention told everyone to toss out romaine lettuce due to an E. coli outbreak? Well, it turns out that romaine isn't the only food that should be on your high alert list when it comes to E. coli. There are many other foods that get recalled from time to time due to an outbreak. Here are some of the other common foods that can get contaminated by E. coli you want to be careful with.
How it Happens
Have you ever wondered how vegetables get contaminated by E. coli? It's not necessarily common sense. A lot of produce is grown near water sources contaminated by E. coli. These water sources become contaminated by cattle and then that water is used on irrigation to the produce. Raw fruits and vegetables are a vehicle for E. coli because it's impossible to fully wash off the bacteria. The only way to kill it is to cook it, but most people eat the fruits and vegetables without cooking.
Sprouts
Sprouts are grown in conditions that make them the perfect breeding ground for bacteria such as E. coli. They can be contaminated with listeria and salmonella too. Cooking them can help to reduce bacteria, but they're usually consumed raw.
Water
Water is usually safe from bacteria, but there have been brands of water recalled due to E. coli contamination. That's uncommon; when it comes to E. coli in water, the biggest danger comes from wells or water consumed from bodies of water. If you think the source of your water may be contaminated, you must kill the bacteria by boiling it for at least one minute.
Beef
Beef has also been recalled because of E. coli contamination. It's not difficult to understand because E. coli naturally lives in the digestive system of animals and the meat can become infected during the slaughtering process. This is why it's so important to make sure beef is fully cooked before you eat it. No more medium-rare burgers or other cuts of meat -- they should be cooked until well done. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, you should cook beef to 160 degrees Fahrenheit.
E. coli can be lurking in foods you may not realize, so always take the warnings put out by the CDC seriously and cook your food thoroughly.
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