E. Coli outbreak part 2

Yesterday I talked about the E Coli outbreak in Europe.  I'm sure we all find the threat of life-threatening infection scary.  What’s the best way to protect yourself and your family from E. Coli?  Some things are easy to do:  always wash your hands with soap and hot water before preparing food.  Always wash your hands after going to the bathroom or changing a baby's diaper.  Drink only pasteurized dairy products (including milk) and fruit juices.  Only drink treated, chlorinated water.  Thoroughly clean and disinfect (run through your dishwasher) utensils and dishes used on raw meats.  Do you disinfect your kitchen sink on a regular basis and especially after dealing with raw meats? You should.

A solid piece of meat (a steak) is less likely to be contaminated than meat ground up (and possibly contaminated with bacteria).  People who like their hamburgers rare should beware of eating eat raw hamburgers.  All meats should be cooked to a temperature of at least 160 degrees (no longer pink).  Do you really want to take the risk of E. Coli contamination?

Other things can be a worry:  is washing raw fruits and vegetables under running tap water enough?  Fruits and vegetables which must be peeled are a safer choice.  But what about cherry tomatoes, blueberries and other foods which we cannot peel?  Yesterday's news update said the experts are now thinking the E. Coli epidemic can be traced back to bean sprouts. 

America imports food from all over the world.  Our food supply is a concern.  The experts grapple with complex issues while looking for the best way to protect our food supply.

More information about E. Coli infection can be found at http://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/e-coli-infection-topic-overview