USDA Inspected, E. coli Approved: Mass Media’s Role in Shifting Responsibility and perpetuating E. coli in ground beef Government Regulation Feedlot Fecal shedding Transfer through soil/water Slaughterhouse Worker-meat contact Hide-meat contact Feces-meat contact Processing Plant Worker-meat contact Meat-meat contact Food Preparer Meat-food contact Cooking at low temperature Worker-food contact Consumer Cooking <155˚F Person- person contact Raw meat- food contact Using the LexisNexis database, I searched for the name of the outbreak and year of each case study for all of my sources. My media sources were the New York Times, USA Today, and NBC News. After collecting all of my articles, I conducted thematic coding for the mention of an action, the critique of an action and the recommendation for an action. Reducing the whole meat system to six actors, each action was connect to a single actor Bureau of Animal Industry Act Federal Meat Inspection Act Wholesome Meat Act FSIS declares E. coli O157:H7 an adulterant in ground beef Microbiological testing program for E. coli O157:H HACCP system mandated USDA allows irradiation of raw meat Ground beef plants subject to testing for E. coli O157:H7 Most types of E. coli are not harmful, however, a specific type called E. coli O157:H7 is a toxin producing bacteria, which can lead to sickness or death for humans. The most common vehicle for E. coli O157:H7 in the United States is through ground beef. This bacteria lives in the intestines of animals, and then can be transferred to the meat. A study by the Center for Disease Control found that there are about 74,000 cases of illness from E. coli O157, and about 60 deaths per year. 1)Jack in the Box lbs meat recalled: O # of people sick: 700 # of people dead: 4 2)Hudson Foods 1997 lbs meat recalled: 25 mil # of people sick:18 # of people dead: 0 3)Topps Brand 2006 lbs of meat recalled: <22 mil # of people sick: 30 # of people dead: 0. I also recorded what actions were commonly stated in the media. Using excel, I then calculated the percentage of articles that mentioned, critiqued, or recommended actions for each actor and case study. E. coli and YouRegulations E. coli O157:H7 My Case Studies Methodology Findings & Implications Contamination along the commodity chain I. Media focuses on actions by governmental agency – USDA – which leads to the assumption that regulation will improve the situation i.However, policy gives USDA little enforcement power ii.Takes away agency from consumers to change industrial meat system iii.Takes away accountability of meat industry itself II.Media also puts huge responsibility on consumer to cook at proper cooking temperature and to not cross-contaminate i.Consumer only has power over raw meat they prepare ii.Consumer’s food preparation should be the alternative method for food safety, not main method for food safety III. Number of articles decrease for later outbreaks 1.Jack in the Box outbreak articles 2.Hudson Foods outbreak articles 3.Topps outbreak - 28 articles i.Sign that E. coli O157:H7 is being perceived as an everyday risk - part of normal system ii.Takes away from urgency of changing meat system, in order to increase food safety These whole cuts of meat are not tested for E. coli O157:H7! References: Coe, Sue Dead meat. New York: Four Walls Eight Windows. Kiranmayi, Ch. Bindu, and N. Krishnaiah and E. Naga Mallika. "Escherichia coli O157:H7 - An Emerging Pathogen in foods of Animal Origin.” Veterinary World 3 (2010), doi: /vetworld Lashley, Felissa R., and Jerry D. Durham Emerging infectious diseases trends and issues. New York: Springer Pub. Co. Mamadouh, Virginie "Grid-group cultural theory: an introduction". GeoJournal. 47 (3): Nestle, Marion Safe food: bacteria, biotechnology, and bioterrorism. Berkeley, CA: University of California Press. Rachel Lupberger ENVS Thesis Spring 2013 Rachel Lupberger ENVS Thesis Spring 2013