Gross ground beef – buy sustainable (or go veggie?)

Prepare to gross out Sonoma Valley: ground beef from conventionally raised cows is twice as likely to “contain dangerous superbugs resistant to three or more classes of antibiotics used to treat illness in human” than sustainability produced ground beef.

This unsettling data comes from Consumer Reports, who purchased 300 packages (458 pounds) of conventionally and sustainability produced ground beef from a variety of nationwide grocery, big box stores and natural food stores across the country. It’s the largest test of it’s type ever to be implemented.

They tested for five types of bacteria associated with beef: Clostridium perfringens, E. coli (including O157 and six other toxin-producing strains), Enterococcus, Salmonella, and Staphylococcus aureus.

The data showed that more than 80% of conventionally raised cow (cows that live in tight quarters, are fed antibiotics and other by-products, including eating animal feces) had two types of bacteria and 20% had C. perfringens, which is notorious for food poisoning in humans. Finally, 10% of the conventional beef had S. aureus bacteria, which also can cause food poisoning and cannot be destroyed out of fully cooked meat.

Consumer Reports scientists agree that buying sustainable is better: “Farming animals without antibiotics is the first step toward a more sustainable system. Grassfed animals and good welfare practices produce fewer public health risks,” says Dr. Urvashi Rangan, Executive Director of the Center for Food Safety and Sustainability at Consumer Reports.

The report even goes as far to declare that the government should ban antibiotic usage in healthy animals, create stricter labeling policies, and improve (“beef up”) inspections at slaughter and processing plants.

No matter what type of ground beef you buy, cook it to 160 degrees to ensure that all bad bacteria is killed. Even storing it properly is important – keep it cold, as bacteria replicates rapidly at temperatures above 40 degrees.

Finally, buy sustainable. When I buy ground beef, I buy from Victorian Farmstead. They are based in Sebastopol and visit the Sonoma Valley Certified Farmers Market every Friday at Depot Park (9AM-12:30PM).

While it’s a bit pricier than what you’d get at the grocery ($8.75/lb), all of the animals on their farm are raised in sustainable manners – including free range. Adam Parks, the owner, visits the inspection facilities where their cows are slaughtered and processed regularly, ensuring that things remain humane (as humane as slaughter can be).

Eat safe, eat well (or go vegetarian!), Sonoma Valley. Learn more about Victorian Farmstead: vicfarmmeats.com.