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Ground Beef and E. Coli Infection

All beef has a small chance of carrying a disease-causing E. coli strain such as O157:H7. Ground beef is much more likely to be contaminated than individual cuts of meat because of how the meat is processed.

A package of ground beef usually contains meat from many cattle. So the meat from one infected cow can contaminate many packages of ground beef. Also, the contaminating bacteria are harder to kill in ground beef than in single cuts of meat. Bacteria can spread throughout ground beef, but they usually remain on the surface in single cuts of meat. When meat is cooked, surface temperatures more easily reach the 160°F (71°C) needed to destroy the bacteria. In ground beef, both the surface temperature and the internal temperature must reach 160°F (71°C).

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Understanding Food Poisoning -- the Basics

You can get food poisoning after eating food contaminated by viral, bacterial, or chemical agents. Food poisoning causes mild to severe, acute discomfort and may leave you temporarily dehydrated. Mild cases last only a few hours and at worst a day or two, but some types, such as botulism or certain forms of chemical poisoning, are severe and possibly life-threatening unless you get medical treatment.

Read the Understanding Food Poisoning -- the Basics article > >

When eating ground beef, make sure the meat is brown throughout. Any areas of pink may mean that the meat did not reach high enough temperatures to destroy any potentially harmful bacteria.

By	Healthwise Staff
Primary Medical Reviewer	Kathleen Romito, MD - Family Medicine
Specialist Medical Reviewer	W. David Colby IV, MSc, MD, FRCPC - Infectious Disease
Last Revised	June 14, 2010

WebMD Medical Reference from Healthwise

Last Updated: June 14, 2010

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