Food Safety: How to kill E. coli and avoid illness
( News
Canada )-Here are some tips from Health
Canada on how to prevent E. coli O157:H7 infection:
-
Cook all ground beef and hamburger thoroughly. Because
ground beef can turn brown before disease-causing bacteria
are killed, use a digital food thermometer to ensure
thorough cooking to an internal temperature of at least
71°C (160°F).
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If served an undercooked hamburger or other ground beef
product in a restaurant, send it back for further cooking.
Ask for a new bun and a clean plate, too. Avoid eating
patties that are pink in the middle.
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Avoid spreading harmful bacteria in your kitchen. Keep raw
meat separate from ready-to-eat foods. Wash hands,
counters, and utensils with hot soapy water after they
have come in contact with raw meat. Never place cooked
hamburgers on the unwashed plate that held raw patties.
Wash thermometers in between testing patties.
For more information on food safety visit the Canadian
Partnership for Consumer Food Safety Education website
.
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