FOOD CONTAMINATED WITH E. COLI - How can I tell if a food is contaminated with E. coli? - Unfortunately, you can't tell whether a food is contaminated with Escherichia coli (E. coli) by the way it looks, smells or tastes. Although most types of E. coli bacteria are harmless, certain strains can cause serious foodborne illness. Foods that have been linked to E. coli include beef, sprouts, spinach, lettuce, ready-to-eat salads, fruit, raw milk, and raw flour and cookie dough. To protect yourself from E. coli infection and other foodborne illnesses, follow basic food safety guidelines: Wash your hands, utensils and kitchen surfaces with hot, soapy water before and after preparing or eating food. Rinse fruits and vegetables thoroughly; scrub fruits and vegetables that have a firm surface with a vegetable brush while rinsing. Keep raw foods, especially meat and poultry, away from ready-to-eat foods. Refrigerate or freeze perishable foods promptly. Avoid unpasteurized juices, ciders and dairy products. Don't eat raw dough or batter. Don't drink untreated water from lakes or streams. Cook foods thoroughly. Use a thermometer to check the temperature. Beef, pork, lamb and veal steaks, chops and roasts: 145 F (63 C) Ground meat (other than poultry): 160 F (71 C) Poultry: 165 F (74 C) Leftovers and casseroles: 165 F (74 C)

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Food Contaminated With E. Coli

How can I tell if a food is contaminated with E. coli?

Answer From Katherine Zeratsky, R.D., L.D.

Unfortunately, you can't tell whether a food is contaminated with Escherichia coli (E. coli) by the way it looks, smells or tastes.

Although most types of E. coli bacteria are harmless, certain strains can cause serious foodborne illness.

Foods that have been linked to E. coli include beef, sprouts, spinach, lettuce, ready-to-eat salads, fruit, raw milk, and raw flour and cookie dough.

To protect yourself from E. coli infection and other foodborne illnesses, follow basic food safety guidelines:

·      Wash your hands, utensils and kitchen surfaces with hot, soapy water before and after preparing or eating food.

·      Rinse fruits and vegetables thoroughly; scrub fruits and vegetables that have a firm surface with a vegetable brush while rinsing.

·      Keep raw foods, especially meat and poultry, away from ready-to-eat foods.

·      Refrigerate or freeze perishable foods promptly.

·      Avoid unpasteurized juices, ciders and dairy products.

·      Don't eat raw dough or batter.

·      Don't drink untreated water from lakes or streams.

·      Cook foods thoroughly. Use a thermometer to check the temperature.

o        Beef, pork, lamb and veal steaks, chops and roasts: 145 F (63 C)

o        Ground meat (other than poultry): 160 F (71 C)

o        Poultry: 165 F (74 C)

o        Leftovers and casseroles: 165 F (74 C)

Katherine Zeratsky, R.D., L.D.

As a specialty editor for the nutrition and healthy eating guide, Katherine Zeratsky helps you sort through the facts and figures, the fads and the hype to learn more about nutrition and diet.

A Marinette, Wis., native, Katherine is certified in dietetics by the state of Minnesota and the American Dietetic Association. She has been with Mayo Clinic since 1999.

She is active in nutrition-related curriculum and course development in wellness nutrition at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., and nutrition education related to weight management and practical applications of nutrition-related lifestyle changes.

Other areas of interest include food and nutrition for all life stages, active lifestyles and the culinary arts.

She graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, served a dietetic internship at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, and worked as a registered dietitian and health risk counselor at ThedaCare of Appleton, Wis., before joining the Mayo Clinic staff.

https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/expert-answers/e-coli/faq-20058034