Well-Cooked Meat, Clean Surfaces Help Keep Food-Borne Illnesses On Ice

Hamburgers are a favorite for the grill. But attention to food safety is as necessary an item on the menu as the mustard, mayonnaise, pickles, lettuce and sesame-seed buns.

"Proper food handling practices are extremely important to prevent illness," says Steven McAndrew, director of the Retail Foods Division at the Texas Department of Health (TDH). "Cooking foods thoroughly and keeping hands and work surfaces clean are vital elements."

Among his suggestions: "Be sure all work surfaces and utensils are clean before preparing food. Don't use the same cutting board, platter or utensils for raw meat as for fresh or cooked foods. And don't cut up vegetables or fruits on the same board just used for raw meat or poultry.

"Use different cutting boards or thoroughly wash and sanitize the one used," McAndrew says. "A simple, inexpensive solution for sanitizing food preparation surfaces is 1 tablespoon household bleach in a gallon of water. And always wash your hands. Any bacteria in raw meat or juices can contaminate other foods."

It is the bacteria in raw meat, especially beef, and other foods that can lead to illness. In particular, E. coli 0157:H7 (formal name Escherichia coli 0157:H7) infections can cause severe diarrhea, nausea and cramps.

"We have seen an increase in confirmed E. coli cases recently," says David Bergmire-Sweat of the TDH Infectious Disease Epidemiology and Surveillance Division. He says that while the TDH Laboratory usually confirms one to two cases a week, 11 have been confirmed in a little less than a month's time.

"This is not an outbreak," Bergmire-Sweat says. "Illnesses have been reported around the state in counties including Dallas, Galveston, Bexar, Hays, Bastrop, Gillespie, Hood and Brown. And increases in E. coli illnesses do occur in the summertime.

"But we want to remind people of the importance of safe food handling and cooking practices," Bergmire-Sweat says.

When it is time to cook the food, be sure to cook it thoroughly, McAndrew says. "A meat thermometer gives accurate internal temperatures. Beef, veal and lamb steaks and roasts should be cooked to 145 degrees F, pork and ground beef to 155 degrees F. Poultry should reach 165 degrees F."

Even without a meat thermometer, McAndrew advises looking for signs that the food is done. "Cut into the food to check; don't guess. Juices should run clear. Hamburgers should be medium-well to well-done and brown in the middle. Poultry should have no pink to it."

A special precaution both McAndrew and Bergmire-Sweat underscore: Don't put the cooked food back on the plate or in the pan that held raw meat or poultry. Cooked food can easily be contaminated by juices left from raw meat and poultry.

McAndrew offers several other preparation suggestions:

• Defrosting. Completely thaw meat and poultry before grilling so it cooks evenly. Use the refrigerator for slow, safe thawing. Microwave defrost only if the food will be placed on the grill immediately.
• Marinating. Always marinate food in the refrigerator, not on the counter. If some of the marinade is to be used as a sauce on the cooked food, reserve a portion in a separate container before adding raw meat, poultry or seafood. Do not reuse marinade.
• Pre-cooking. If you partially cook food in the microwave, oven or stove to reduce grilling time, do so only immediately before the food goes on the grill.
• Serve the food right away. Don't let food sit out for more than an hour and probably not more than 30 minutes in hot weather. Leftovers that have been off the grill for less than an hour can be taken home safely in a cooler filled with ice. Drain water from the ice chest regularly.
• And finally, the reminder for clean hands. "Even outdoors, people need to wash their hands often when preparing food," McAndrew says. "This can be as simple as having a water jug, soap and paper towels handy."

Symptoms of E. coli 0157:H7 include bloody diarrhea, cramps and nausea and can show up from three to eight days after exposure. Fever is not usually present. Although rare, this strain of E. coli can cause kidneys to fail or be permanently damaged. Children under age 5 and people over 65 are more at risk for kidney problems from this bacterial infection.

Most people who do get sick from an E. coli 0157:H7 infection recover in five to 10 days without antibiotics or other specific treatment.

Other suggestions to prevent E. coli infection include drinking only pasteurized milk and milk products and avoiding unpasteurized apple cider. Also, contaminated foods do not always look or smell bad, so always play it safe. Do not taste food to see if it is still good.

"When in doubt, throw it out," McAndrew says.

If you have questions about food-borne illnesses or food safety, call the Texas Department of Health Retail Foods Division in Austin at 512-719-0232.

- Texas Department of Health

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©2006 Texas Medical Center

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