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Where's the beef? E-coli still a threat

 

In 1984, Wendy’s had a little ole white haired lady spokeswoman named Clara Peller for their hamburger stores. Looking at an over sized bun with a small hamburger patty on top, in her special voice said, “Where’s the beef?”    This became a catch phrase that you can still hear from time to time asking, “Where‘s the substance or credibility” of a thought, idea or expression.. 

 

But today most of America is asking “Where’s the beef,” for a different reason. The JBS Swift Company from Greeley, Colorado has recalled in two different announcements the recall of 421,000 pounds of meat believed to be contaminated with the bacteria E-coli. It was reported that first 18 people were taken ill and now reported that it is 24. 

 

For more details of this recall refer back to my article of June 29, 2009 regarding the recall. http://www.examiner.com/examiner/x-7462-Atlanta-Faith--Family-Examiner~y2009m6d29-Beef-Recall--Ecoli-contamination-threat 

 

After researching this with the FDA, CDC, USDA, and the FSIS - did I leave out any of the alphabet? Hmm. Oh yes, I personally spoke with Mr. Chandler Keys the spokesperson for JBS (more letters) better known as Swift. (Quick, tell the letters stand for!) Time’s up.

 

He told me pretty much the same thing that has been circulating online and on the TV news. He explained how they butchered the cows and processed the meat into what was called primal cuts – big pieces – and then shipped it to their various customers – who would further process it into steaks, roast, and even ground meat. He stated that the meat that had not been ground up would only have the bacteria on the outside and with proper handing and cooking, this would be no health hazard; but their concern was what other processors down the line did with the meat after it left their plant.

 

To grind the meat up would put the E-coli bacteria through out all the meat. And it would have to be fully cooked to destroy the bacteria. Sometimes hot grills and frying pans cook on the outside leaving the inside undercooked.  The inside temperature has to be a good 160 degrees. You should test is several places and particularly through the thickest part as some stoves and grills do not cook evenly.

 

When I asked him where the meat had been shipped to, he essentially said he did not know - but they were in the process of notifying their customers of the recall and the health status of “high risk” from the FDA so they in turn could notify those they sold it to.    So essentially America is still asking, “Where’s the beef?”

 

After waiting most of the day hoping to spread some good news – I found little news at all. It can take up to a week or ten days to track the beef down to its final destinations; hopefully not your home and your July 4^th picnic.  This meat processed on April 21, 2009 - may already have been served – hopefully not like these 18 – 24 people had it served to them – then the meat would be all consumed and gone – but wait.   If this meat was reprocessed and then frozen, or if you brought it home and put it in your freezer, it might still be around somewhere – but we should all still ask, “Where’s the beef!” Did any of it reach the public after being frozen?  Was any of this meat used in secondary products like baby food, beef pot pies, or other ready to eat products? At this time, they simply don’t know. 

 

Just surfing the Internet for any tidbits, I found that this meat was sold to several stores in the Central Division including Indiana and New York. Some of this beef is also believed to have been sold in South Carolina; possibly the Myrtle Beach area. In Indiana, the Kroger, Pay Less, Owens, Hilander, and Scotts Store were all notified that they had shipments sent to them.  Also small amounts were supposedly sold to a Bi-Lo and Food Lion Stores in South Carolina.    I also found a suspect case of E-coli in South Carolina from the Nestlé’s Cookie Dough recall.  

 

In order to give myself and my family protection and to give you the best information I could find, I decided to do random calling  to stores in the Fayette, Carroll, Coweta, Henry and Clayton Counties surrounding the Atlanta area.

 

Here again, I am only the watchman in the tower and only repeating what I was told. But first let me say for your family’s safety, point blank ask your meat manager if they received any beef from JBS Swift Company in Colorado with the date of processing April 21, 2009. If they say, they do not know – don’t buy beef there until he does know.

 

My findings were that none of the Kroger Stores in the Atlanta Division received any of the suspect beef. I also got strong indications that neither had Wal-Mart – although Mr. Keys of JBS indicated to me that they did ship to Sam’s Clubs; but not necessarily this contaminated batch. He used them as an example of how they purchase the whole primal pieces and cut them up themselves.

 

I was unable to reach our local Sam’s Club Store for verification. If you shop there – ask! Ingles manager also assured me that they would have been notified immediately had they been involved. The other smaller chains gave answers as, “Huh?”   Or “I don’t know the meat manager nor the store manager is here?”    And one such employee said, “We buy our pork from Swift.” But he did n not say yea or nay about the beef? 

 

After speaking with the manager at Publix, I was referred to their corporate office and received a call this morning from their media spokesperson and she assured me that the Publix Stores in Atlanta was not involved as well.  The meat manager of our local Publix felt sure because of their in store protocol they had not received this meat or they would have been notified and pulled it from the shelves immediately. Be sure, be safe. ASK!

 

The bottom line (at this moment.) is: The pathogen E-coli 0157-H7 was found by lab reports to be in this particular batch of meat processed on April 21, 2009. It can be deadly; particularly with the young and older folks or those with compromised immune systems

 

All meat and poultry can at anytime have dangerous bacteria on or in it. Proper hand washing, preparations, and cooking to correct temperature will help to prevent illness and possibly death. NEVER cut fresh raw meat with the same knife you cut up the lettuce to make the salad. NEVER contaminate your kitchen counter tops or sinks with fresh meat and then lay utensils, food, or hands on those areas – this bacteria can be transferred all over the place if you do not take care.  

 

Make sure you wash platters holding the fresh meat before it is used for the cooked meat.  Personally, I put fresh meat on a strong china plate to cut or thaw out; and then I wash the plate, sink, and counter with disinfecting cleaner. 

 

Another very dangerous act is to bring home bloody meat from the store and then stick it in the fridge where the blood and bacteria can be transferred to other items in the fridge; perhaps lying on the shelf until a nice cantaloupe or grapefruit might later come to sit. Never leave frozen meat in the sink for excessive hours waiting for it to thaw out. Then make sure the sink is completely cleaned.

 

It is recommended that all fruits and vegetables, which can contain E-coli, be washed in order to remove any bacteria from the outside BEFORE you cut it with a knife taking the bacteria inside.  I suspect that some of the cases we mistake for a stomach virus is nothing more than touching or consuming contaminated food. We all remember the peanut, spinach, and tomato recalls.

 

I have made this article very personal as I can only tell you what I know and what I have been told. I am not a doctor or nurse and I don’t play one on TV – but I am a cautious person - and like you - my family and their health is very important to me. Follow the link below to read about the recall giving you the recent information available from the USDA – and find also on that page instructions for handling raw meats and poultry.

 

http://www.fsis.usda.gov/News_&_Events/Recall_034_2009_Expanded/index.as 

 

You will see that they say cook it thoroughly and not to depend on visual testing; but to actually use thermometer. I personally cook any meat that I use until it falls apart. You should also be very careful about eating meat out in public making sure that it is also fully cooked. More times than I can say, we have purchased fried chicken only to get it home and find pink coloring inside and have to either take it back or put it in the oven and finish cooking it. All meats and poultry are subject to this bacteria and others.

 

 

For you new brides out there or bachelors learning to cook, E-coli is only one strain of bacteria that can contaminate food. Hot dogs, lunch meat, and frozen uncooked meats can contain Listeria which is another bacteria that can cause sickness.  I will let you look up that one .  A doctor at the CDC once told me that she did not allow her children to eat hot dogs; but if she were to, she would boil them at least five minutes before cooking them on the grill to make sure the Listeria was killed. There will be a test tomorrow – who was Listeria named after? 

 

There’s ‘nother something called campylobacter – believe me you don’t want that – never eat carrot cake with cream cheese icing left sitting out in the heat – I know. 

 

Eggs, milk, and cheese can also contain “boogers.” Salads made with eggs and mayonnaise can be other health problems if not refrigerated properly as well. During these hot lazy, hazy, days of summer – enjoy grilling, picnics, etc. but be safe and cautious so that severe illness will not befall you or your family. Bad food does not always taste bad.

 

Root around the USDA web site and find out more about food safety and health. “When in doubt, throw it out.” I learned that rule more than fifty years ago and it is still a good one.   But green lunch meat is not a doubt – use you senses – sight and smell – and keep track when you buy easily spoilable products. And just because an open container says that it is good until next Juvember – it is not - if it has been opened and is OLD! 

 

Check out Hannaford Supermarkets web site with notification to their customers and asking them to return any of this beef to the store for a refund.    http://www.hannaford.com/Contents/News_Events/News/beef_recall.shtml?lid=ns  

 

Also check out this web sire for article written by Andrew Shain of “The State,” in SC as it is one of the better written articles I read on this subject. http://www.thestate.com/local/story/846540.html This paper is on top of this and if we learn anything it will probably be from them.

 

Check out this site for simple safety food rules – skip the part about the rare meat however – ugh   Read about cooking chicken and eggs safely here also.   http://busycooks.about.com/od/cookinglessons/a/foodsafety.htm 

 

If you are saying – “Hey, I knew all that – pass it along to a lot of others who do not!” Most young people today don’t know how to make anything but pop tarts. 

 

Cooking is no longer just for the women folks but the scripture says about many such things – the older women are supposed to teach the younger women.  That goes for you men as well. Men can cook and women can change the oil in the car; but someone has to teach the young folks.

 

Have a safe summer, holiday, vacation with no regrets. Minor mishaps can cause major problems.

 

Another thought – some think that the Bible is antiquated and out of date – it is just as current as your daily newspaper – it says in  Deuteronomy 12:23 (New Living Translation)   "But never eat the blood, for the blood is the life, and you must not eat the lifeblood with the meat."   Hmmm and they didn’t even have lab tests in those days. I won’t even share with you what I learned today about how the meat gets infected with the E-coli during butchering. Ugh!

 

There is another verse that says if eating meat offends your brother, then don’t eat the meat. If you are having lunch with a hungry man and he is eating soup – you should not eat a 16 oz. T-Bone in front of him - my interpretation. Many vegetarians are also offended when people eat meat in their presence. Remember the Golden Rule. 

 

Give careful thought to all that you put in your body, food, water, alcohol, and drugs – both street and prescription. They used to say what you don’t know won’t hurt you; but they are wrong. Instead of asking, “Where’s the beef,” we may be asking “where’s the doctor?”

 

A word of caution , (a repeat:).   Since at this time we do not know where all of this beef ended up we might need to be cautious about baby food in particular and other products containing beef such as beef pot pies or other down the road products which may have been made from this batch of contaminated beef. Just make sure anything with meats of any kind is completely and thoroughly cooked.  

 

http://www.thestate.com/749/story/847899.html Latest update before publishing about beef recall in South Carolina and Coastal Georgia.

 

Just found this site stating more recalls of other products which includes lip gloss from Target and Hot Chocolate from Dunkin’ Donuts. These and other recalls list on site below. Be careful, you can’t cook lip gloss, huh? 

 

http://www.chicagotribune.com/topic/economy-business-finance/company-information/product-recalls/04016053.topic 

 

Photo credits: Stock.xchng   smallhamburger/nitewind23 – steak/topfer – grill/Palm3559 – handwashing/tdnb – vegetables/cecilegeng – hotdog/woodsy