In October 2007, Topps Meat Company was forced to recall an entire year’s worth of meat production – 21.7 million pounds – because of possible E. coli contamination. By the middle of the month, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported that 40 people from eight different states had been infected with E. coli after consuming the product. That same month, Banquet® chicken pot pies were blamed for 200 cases of another food-borne illness, salmonella infection.
These reports came just more than one year after an outbreak of E. coli in spinach prompted the largest product recall in U.S. history. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued an advisory not to eat or sell any fresh or bagged spinach for more than a week in September 2006. In total, 199 people were infected by the spinach – three died as a result.
Steven Gordon, MD, Chairman of the Department of Infectious Disease at Cleveland Clinic, addresses concerns about food-borne illnesses and explains how you can protect yourself.
Health Advantage: How worried should we be about the spread of E. coli and other food-borne illnesses?
Steven Gordon: Food safety is under the control of the Department of Agriculture, and food borne illness is not a new issue. Outbreaks of E. coli and salmonella infection and other diseases have been reported for years, and the department has been taking steps to make sure the food we buy is safer, such as enforcing more mandatory testing for pathogens at the processing plants and introducing new ways of decreasing the bioburden (the number of microorganisms with which an object is contaminated) of food after packaging.
Health Advantage: What can I do to keep myself safe?
Steven Gordon: Contamination doesn’t only happen before you purchase your food. Proper preparation and food handling can reduce the risk of food-borne illness at home. You should always make sure to cook meat to at least 147 degrees Fahrenheit; eating it rare is a risk. Also, make sure to wash your hands and all cooking utensils (including cutting boards, knives and anything that has been in contact with uncooked meat or vegetables) between handling different food items to avoid cross contamination. Also, don’t allow foods to thaw and then re-freeze, as this can lead to contamination as well.
Of course, during an outbreak, carefully follow instructions by health officials and avoid any food that has been deemed a threat.
Health Advantage: How will I know if I have contracted a food-borne illness?
Steven Gordon: The symptoms of these conditions are non-specific, meaning there is no one telltale sign of salmonella or E. coli infection or any other food-borne illness. Some people experience diarrhea, cramps, nausea and loss of appetite, but this is not always the case. The rule of thumb is that it takes more than a single case of illness to suggest common foodborne outbreak of illness.
E. coli 0157:H7, the type associated with the recalled meat and spinach, can potentially be dangerous, but some people who contract it don’t experience any symptoms at all. It is estimated that 73,000 Americans are infected with this pathogen every year. Of these, some never even knew they had it, and it is fatal in very few.
There are tests your physician can perform to determine whether you are suffering from E. coli infection or another food-borne illness. During a time of an outbreak, your doctor will be particularly likely to be on the lookout for signs of food-borne illness.
