MAST

In light of the news of the last few days, the Swedish Food Agency considers it appropriate to emphasize several points regarding the handling of food, especially with E. coli in mind.

What is E. coli ?

There are many types of coliform bacteria. They are found in the intestines of humans and animals. Some species can produce toxins and thus cause serious diseases in people, especially children, the elderly and other vulnerable individuals. These toxin-producing E. coli bacteria are called STEC (Shiga Toxin-producing Escherichia Coli ) and can cause serious illness in some cases.

Foodborne infections due to E. coli

The bacteria can get into meat during slaughter, if the contents of the animal’s intestines come into contact with the meat. Preventive measures that reduce the chance of meat becoming contaminated are therefore important, such as clean tools and hygiene during slaughter. The bacteria can also get into vegetables, fruits and other things that are grown in close contact with soil, organic waste or water that is contaminated with feces.

People can become infected with E. coli , through contaminated food (tdhakki and vegetables) or water, through direct contact with animals or environments contaminated with their feces. The bacterium thus gets through the mouth and down into the digestive tract.

It is common practice that beef, lamb and horse steaks are served without being deep-fried. On raw pieces of meat, bacteria are on the outer layer of the meat and not inside the muscle. They are therefore killed when the meat is fried or grilled at high temperatures. Everything else applies to hamburgers and other dishes made from minced meat. When meat is minced, microorganisms spread throughout the meat. Light frying therefore does not kill bacteria present in the meat. In order to kill E. coli and other disease-causing microorganisms, the hamburgers and other mincemeat dishes must be fried through or so that the core temperature is at least 75°C.

What can consumers do to avoid infection?

• Fully fry round hamburgers and other minced meat
• Maintain kitchen hygiene when handling raw and minced meat
• Avoid cross contamination by keeping meat separate from other foods, especially from those that should not be cooked such as salad
• Rinse all vegetables in clean water
• Wash cutting boards, utensils, knives and the surrounding area after handling raw meat to prevent the transfer of bacteria to foods that are not to be heated
• Do not wipe up blood with a cloth used on other surfaces, use paper towels instead
• Good hand washing with soap and water after using the toilet, before handling food and after handling raw meat is an important rule to prevent infection
• Prevent blood from leaking from meat in the fridge
• Avoid consumption of unpasteurized dairy products