Posted: October 5th, 2009 - 9:11pm by Ben Chapman

In Sunday's New York Times, journalist Michael Moss profiled a 2007 outbreak of E. coli O157:H7 linked to ground beef. The tragic story focused on one of the victims, Stephanie Smith, a 22-year-old woman who was in a coma and paralyzed after acquiring the pathogen.

The video (which I can't seem to embed, but it can be viewed on the Times site) was particularly impactful and shows some of the devastating consequences of foodborne illness.

That story is the focus for this week's food safety infosheet

Food Safety Infosheet Highlights:
- Ground beef has been linked to at least 16 outbreaks since 2007.
- In 2009, this pathogen led to the recall of beef from nearly 3,000 grocers in 41 states.
- Cook all ground beef to 155°F for 15 seconds or 160°F for an instant kill.
- Clean and sanitize all surfaces (cutting boards, counters) where ground beef items were prepared.

The food safety infosheet can be downloaded here.