by Allison Gamble Nutritionist/Diet Technician Highland Park Hospital, Illinois

Question:

A local grocery store recently recalled some ground beef due to an E. coli scare. I cannot return my purchase, because I divided and froze it, and also cannot distinguish it from ground beef which I had frozen previously. I'm about seven weeks along from conception, and am worried about the baby. Should I throw out all my beef, or would it be okay to use it if I cook it very well? (I'm thinking meatballs in sauce, chili....)

Answer:

The answer is easy: without a doubt, throw out all your frozen beef. Your health and your baby's health are not worth risking over a few dollars. Keep in mind freezing does not kill bacteria, it only restricts its growth. Cooking meats to the right internal temperature does kill bacteria, but in E. coli's case I would not risk it!

Escherichia coli (E. coli) is a type of bacteria normally found in the human intestinal tract. A particularly dangerous strain, E. coli 0157:H7, was discovered in 1982 and has since been responsible for several well-publicized outbreaks of severe illness and some deaths from contaminated foods ranging from fast-food hamburgers to unpasteurized apple juice. Symptoms of E. coli infection may include bloody diarrhea (sometimes, however, no blood is present) and abdominal cramps.

The Center for Disease Control (CDC) recommends the following to avoid infection:

• Cook all ground beef or hamburger thoroughly. Make sure that the cooked meat is gray or brown throughout (not pink), any juices run clear, and the inside is hot.
• If you are served an undercooked hamburger in a restaurant, send it back for further cooking.
• Consume only pasteurized milk and milk products. Avoid raw milk.
• Make sure that infected persons, especially children, wash their hands carefully and frequently with soap to reduce the risk of spreading the infection.
• Drink municipal water that has been treated with adequate levels of chlorine or other effective disinfectants.

For more information about E. coli, see the CDC's information page here.