2006 was a memorable year with the Food and Drug Administration. An E coli outbreak prompted massive recalls and caused over two hundred and forty people to become very sick. The symptoms were severe dehydration, vomiting and diarrhea.
Many people panicked because the source was not known. No one knew if it was a vegetable or meat that had infected them. Nothing was left out in the endless search to track down these particularly harmful bacteria.
The initial E coli outbreak was caused by e coli 0157. This particularly nasty strain was tracked down to e coli infested crops of spinach. Many people were shocked that bacterium such as this could live on a vegetable.
The spinach outbreaks were wide spread, with over 240 people across the United States becoming infected. Later. there was another outbreak, however this one was found in lettuce used at two food chains. Taco Bell and Taco Johns. It had many people in a panic questioning whether or not their food was actually safe.
There is no sure fire way to avoid an E coli outbreak, but you can reduce the chances that it will happen to you. There are steps that everyone should take to help reduce their chances of being contaminated with any potentially lethal bacteria.
For instance, one of the easiest methods for sanitation is to wash your hands several times a day with hot water and soap. This is a time old method and still the best way to get rid of bacteria.
Do not waste your time with expensive anti bacterial products that may just exacerbate the germ problem. The second step is to always prepare your meats on one cutting board and your vegetables on a separate cutting board.
When you are done with the meal you will need to clean the cutting boards in hot soapy water and spray them down with a water/bleach solution to remove any lingering bacteria.
A great tip for avoiding an E coli outbreak at home is to always keep foods either hot or cold. Both temperature extremes create hostile environments for the bacteria. Left over food should be put immediately into a storage container and placed in either the refrigerator or the freezer to prevent the growth of any bacteria.
Foods that can be heated should be heated to a high enough temperature to kill off any bacteria trying to proliferate on the surface. If you follow these simple tips, then you can greatly reduce the likelihood of catching the e coli bacteria 0157.
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