Is ground meat safe to eat? With all of the recalls and outbreaks linked to those products, many consumers are asking that question. Consumer Reports conducted a study and found that, in many cases, those products are contaminated with dangerous pathogens including Salmonella and E. coli. The numbers are alarming. Almost a third of the ground chicken packages they tested were contaminated with Salmonella bacteria. And every single strain was resistant to at least one antibiotic, adding to the fear of the development of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Consumer Reports also found a strain of Shiga toxin-producing E. coli in a sample of ground beef that was so dangerous they alerted the Department of Agriculture, triggering a recall of more than 28,000 pounds of ground beef. Ground … [Read more...]
USDA Announces New Efforts to Improve Poultry Product Safety
The USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced this week new steps to protect American consumers by improving food safety plans required for poultry facilities. Companies making raw ground chicken and turkey and similar products must reassess their Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) plans. This must occur in the next 90 days. The new plans must account for several Salmonella outbreaks that happened recently that were associated with those products. USDA Under Secretary for Food Safety Dr. Elisabeth Hagen said, "HACCP reassessments improve a company's ability to identify hazards and better prevent foodborne illness. Incorporating information obtained from Salmonella outbreaks will enhance food safety efforts, helping to avoid future outbreaks and ensure a … [Read more...]
