An E. coli outbreak that has sickened three people in Wisconsin has been linked to the consumption of Tiger Meat, a raw ground beef concoction similar to steak tartare that is popular among some Midwesterners, particularly those of German heritage. It’s usually served with saltine crackers and paired with beer.
Customers purchased raw ground beef from Glenn’s Market and Catering in Watertown, Wisconsin, made their own Tiger Meat and became ill. Glenn’s has issued a recall of 2,532 pounds of raw, ground meat specifically fresh ground round, fresh ground chuck and fresh ground beef from the morning grind of December 22, 2012 – January 4, 2013. The products subject to recall were sold only from the retail meat case. No other products are included in the recall.
Keeping family traditions is important, but so is food safety, as the owner’s of Glenn’s reminded customers in a recent press release about the outbreak and recall. “Glenn’s would also like to make the public aware that consuming the common holiday tradition called Tiger Meat of Raw Uncooked Beef can cause illness. But the USDA has a zero tolerance level of E. coli 0157:H7. For further information on the proper cooking of this product, there are safe handling instructions on the package.” The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) advises that ground beef is safe to consume only when it is cooked to an internal temperature of 160° F.
E. coli can cause serious, sometimes fatal illness. Symptoms of an E. coli infection include abdominal cramps, vomiting and diarrhea which is sometimes bloody. Anyone who has these symptoms should see a health care provider.
