Latest Thing to Be Afraid Of: Ground Beef
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"Eating ground beef is still a gamble," the Times warns. Patties like the one that sickened Smith are made from meat from as far away as Uruguay, we learn; they're sometimes treated with ammonia to kill bacteria. Some companies that market burger patties claim that big slaughterhouses won't sell to them if they find out they're double-checking their products for E. coli, and the forgiving do-it-yourself inspection standards of the USDA have been an open scandal for years. And the Times' tests showed E. coli living on a cutting board even after it had been washed with soap and water.
As you might imagine, Vegan.com sees an obvious solution: "This article is bound to give hundreds of thousands of omnivores misgivings about ever eating beef again." Even the non-vegetarian Marla's Foodblog says it's "Time to give up pre-ground beef." And to think, once upon a time we ate steak tartare without a second thought. Well, modern life's a trade-off; you won't get polio, but a lunch that satisfied your grandpa might paralyze you.
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