Safety
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What is E. coli and what is being done to prevent it from ending up in beef? |
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Are organically-raised or grass-finished cattle less likely to have E. coli? |
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Since grass-finished cattle don’t eat protein, is it less likely that they could have “Mad Cow Disease?” |
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What is E. coli and what is being done to prevent it from ending up in beef?
E. coli O157:H7 is one of hundreds of strains of the bacterium Escherichia coli. Although most strains are harmless and live in the intestines of healthy humans and animals, this particular strain produces a powerful toxin and can cause severe illness.
America’s beef producers set out to reduce, and eventually eliminate, E. coli O157:H7 years ago and today remain committed to that goal. The incidence of E. coli O157:H7 in ground beef has declined more than 80 percent between 2000 and 2005, according to USDA. Since 1993, beef producers have invested more than $22 million in beef safety research.
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Are organically-raised or grass-finished cattle less likely to have E. coli?
No. E. coli occurs naturally in healthy animals, including cattle that are fed grain, grass or those raised according to organic standards. It’s important to know that all U.S. beef is safer than ever. The incidence of E. coli O157:H7 in ground beef has declined more than 80 percent between 2000 and 2005, according to USDA.
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Since grass-finished cattle don’t eat protein, is it less likely that they could have “Mad Cow Disease?”
No. All beef is equally safe. Cattle in the United States are not fed animal by-products that could spread bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE, also known as “mad cow” disease). All cattle, no matter how they are raised, are subject to the same rigorous government inspections and regulations that have kept BSE from becoming a human or animal health issue in this country.
Top | More informationFACT SHEET: E. coli O157:H7 BSE Scientific Resource
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