ORLANDO, Fla.—Speaking at the 2010 Annual Meat Conference, Christine Bruhn, director of the Center for Consumer Research at the University of California, Davis, said consumers often are misinformed about the proper methods to prepare ground beef, putting them at risk for cross-contamination. She suggested additional pathogen-destruction steps for ground beef should become common practice in the industry.
As reported by Meatingplace, Bruhn videotaped 200 volunteers in their homes while they prepared burgers and salad, observing their methods of defrosting the meat their refrigerators' temperature, whether they put themselves at risk for cross-contamination and how they determined whether the meat was done. Ninety percent washed their hands prior to food preparation, and only 31 percent dried their hands with a clean towel. Potential cross-contamination occurred in 74 percent of the households. Bruhn also noted that the majority of burgers were cooked at or near the recommended 160 degrees F, although only 23 of the volunteers said they would use a meat thermometer in the future.
