Kibbeh is a dish from the Middle East and Africa that is traditionally served at some family celebrations. The variety known as Kibbeh nayyeh is prepared and served raw. And thus poses a risk of food poisoning. The dish is made from red meat, onion, cracked wheat, and spices. Many people who prepare this dish do try to reduce the risk of bacterial contamination, such as cleaning the grinding blades and keeping the meat cold, there is no way to ensure that the product is free from pathogenic bacteria other than to cook it. Any cut of beef or lamb could have pathogenic bacteria, such as E. coli O157:H7, on its surface. When this meat is ground, no matter where it is ground, whether the butcher or your home, the bacteria on the surface will be mixed all through the meat. No uncooked … [Read more...]
USDA: Avoid E. coli by Leaving Raw Beef of the Holiday Menu
Eating raw meat can cause E. coli infections and other illnesses, so leave raw beef dishes off the menu this holiday season, the U.S. Department of Agriculture advises. Some families consider raw meat dishes, such as tartare, kibbeh and "Tiger Meat" a holiday traditions, but they pose serious health risks. In December 2012, 17 people in Wisconsin got E.coli poisoning from eating a raw beef and onion mixture sometimes called "Tiger Meat." In 1994, a raw beef outbreak sickened more than 100 people in Wisconsin. E.coli causes severe stomach cramps and diarrhea that can be bloody. In a some cases a complication called hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) can develop. HUS which most often strikes young children with E. coli infections causes kidney failure, stroke, seizure, coma and … [Read more...]
Largest Multi-State Food Poisoning Outbreaks of 2013: #9
A Salmonella outbreak linked to ground beef, in some cases eaten raw, was the source of the ninth-largest multi-state food poisoning outbreak of 2013. Twenty two people in six states were sickened in the outbreak which began in late December 2012 and ended in March, about half of them required hospitalization. Health investigators concluded that ground beef produced by Jouni Meats Inc. of Sterling Heights, Mich. and Gab Halal Foods of Troy, Mich. were the likely source of the outbreak. Both establishments issued recalls. By state the case count was as follows: Arizona (1), Illinois (2), Iowa (1), Michigan (9), Pennsylvania (1), and Wisconsin (8). Six of case patients in Michigan became ill after eating raw beef kibbeh at a restaurant on Dec. 7 and 8, 2012. Kibbeh, a Middle Eastern … [Read more...]
