E-Coli

[nyshia]

There's been a large outbreak near my hometown. Namely in Tulsa and in Locust Grove. A couple of people have died from this disease.

These people all got sick from very well known and very popular restaurants.

I'm just curious, is anyone getting scared about all the sudden outbreaks? Its kind of starting to worry me. It seems like businesses are being shut down, food recalled, and lots of people getting sick and dying over something that should easily be prevented.

I buy locally grown food usually, we don't eat hamburger for the most part, my food is always cooked all the way through (except for my steak which I say, "The bloodier, the better!"), and I avoid eating out too much.

I read that the dangerous E-coli virus is actually from someone consuming something that has been contaminated with feces! So I venture to ask, 'Why is this a problem? Is there that much fecal matter found in our food?'

Does is not wash off if we wash our food? I haven't found anything that mentions that. If it does, that makes me wonder all the more why it is such a huge issue.

[The Janitor]

I'm not too worried about it. If I get sick I get sick. I'll either pull through or I won't. Of course it would bother me a bit if I knew there was "fecal matter" in my food. Already paranoid about food borne parasites.

[nyshia]

I am as well about the fecal matter thing...thats what bothers me the most. I deal with symptoms like the e-coli virus or whatever on a daily basis because I have IBS.

[The Janitor]

IBS?

[Lady Thorn]

E-coli (Escherichia coli) is a bacterium, not a virus, and so is very hard to just clean off food. If it is found on any food, it will only be removed if properly cooked at a high temperature. It is not actually one bacterium, but a group of bacteria, each with different functions. Some are harmless, but all the others are transmitted faecal-orally, through ways such as manure contamination of crops, unpasteurised milk and unhygienic food preparation. It's surprising how much food has had contact with faecal matter... eggs, crops which are fertilised with manure... all sorts.

[nyshia]

IBS = Irritable Bowel Syndrome

Oh yea, yea, e-coli is bacteria. I couldn't remember for the life of me what it actually was last night.

[The Janitor]

Aug 28, 2008 13:33:47 GMT -5 Lady Thorn said:

it will only be removed if properly cooked at a high temperature.

Yep. That won't be a problem. All food here is well cooked due to the paranoia.

[Isi Runasimi]

I forgot when but last year there was a HUGE spinach e coli outbreak in my area. The spinach grew in contaminated water or something that had e coli in it, all the stores had to throw out their spinach and so did all the people who bought it. I was going to go out for lunch tomorrow but I'm changing my mind right now. <<

[The Janitor]

Wasn't there a big scare with tomatoes and peppers a while back as well?

[Isi Runasimi]

Yes there was though I didn't remember it: www.marlerclark.com/case_news/view/raw-tomato-salmonella-outbreak-16-states

I only remembered the spinach because I somehow managed to hear about it, then my mom buys it like two weeks later. T__T

[nyshia]

lol. Yea, I thought the tomatoes and peppers were salmonella for some reason.

[nyshia]

Oh, guess I was correct.

[Isi Runasimi]

Salmonella, e coli. You say tomato and I say tomata.

[nyshia]

lol. I should say Toe-MA-taz living here in Oklahoma, but my american english is actually quite clear and without an accent thanks to my traveling family.

[Isi Runasimi]

xD. I'd love to hear how that's pronounced. Accents... accents are, don't get me started on them. -drools a bit- I wonder if people think I have an accent? Don't worry, I'm not staring at my hands or intoxicated.