Ground Beef Still the Main Source

A new review by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta shows that ground beef continues to be the main consumed food contaminated by E. coli.
Approximately 52 percent of all E. coli outbreaks during the 20-year period were caused by food sources, and of these, 41 per cent resulted from ground beef, by far the largest single food source. Many stemmed from home-prepared meals, where ndercooked ground beef, as well as uncooked raw vegetables, have been implicated in several outbreaks.
Although the median size of E. coli outbreaks has declined over the 20-year period, a newly recognised transmission route has emerged in the form of direct live animal contact with humans.