WASHINGTON, Oct 4, 2009 (UPI via COMTEX) -- A virulent strain of E. coli
bacteria known as O157:H7 still sickens thousands of Americans each year despite
regulations, The New York Times reported Sunday.
The newspaper said that through interviews and government and corporate records
it traced the path of a batch of hamburger that sickened a 22-year-old Minnesota
woman in 2007 and found that regulatory safeguards meant to prevent food
contamination is not what consumers have been led to believe.
The Times said the frozen hamburger the woman ate was made by the food giant
Cargill, which confidential grinding logs and other company records showed was
made from a mix of trimmings and a mash-like product from slaughterhouses in
Nebraska, Texas and Uruguay. A South Dakota company that processes fatty
trimmings treated them with ammonia to kill bacteria.
Using the combination of sources reportedly allowed Cargill to spend about 25
percent less than it would have for cuts of whole meat. Despite the low-grade
ingredients, Cargill, like most meat companies, relies on suppliers to check for
bacteria.
The Times said its tests indicated federal safe handling instructions for
hamburger are not enough to prevent the O157:H7 strain from spreading in the
kitchen.
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Copyright 2009 by United Press International