With cases of Escherichia coli (E. coli) poisoning rising in the last three years, students might feel fortunate to bite into that overcooked dining hall burger. There have been on average 73,000 cases of E. coli infections each year, 100 to 200 of which occur in Illinois. Usually harmless, one strain of the bacteria (Escherichia coli O157:H7) causes upset stomach, diarrhea, kidney failure and even death — about 61 per year, to be exact.
The second largest recall of meat occurred this summer because of E. coli at the Topps Meat Company. In most cases, the bacterium is limited to the animal intestines which are cut out or sanitized. Ground beef is tested frequently and processed heavily to prevent contamination. Still, things happen. So, how safe is that cake of grease from the dining hall?
“We got two gold awards last year for food safety and general food,” said Grace Knight, lead manager of the Allison dining hall. Gold is the highest award given out after health inspections by the Department of Agriculture. This means the cafeterias provide the safest possible food.
However, the same can’t be said for what you take out of the cafeteria. “Students take a turkey sandwich out of the cafeteria and don’t refrigerate it, and leave it around for three or four hours,” Knight said. She warned that that’s when the food gets dangerous. Stick to the fruit and cereal or be sure to put that hummus into the fridge — even if you’re going in eat it in “just a second.” (It’s funny how Facebook can turn five minutes into three hours.)
Dining hall food may be safe, but perhaps you should be concerned about indulging in late-night fast food feasts. Though there have been no outbreaks in Evanston to date, there have been notable outbreaks in other restaurants. In 1999, 13 people were infected with E. coli after eating tainted ground beef tacos from a Taco Bell. When Jack In The Box served contaminated hamburgers in 1993, three died and hundreds fell ill. Conclusion: Fast food is still bad for you.
While eating undercooked, contaminated ground beef is the most common cause of the disease, E. coli can also be contracted from leafy vegetables like lettuce and person-to-person contact. Even Bessie the goat from the petting zoo could give you the runs — she carries it in her intestines. Though it’s a little cold to go out into the lake, swimmers beware: Due to Lake Michigan’s proximity to Chicago, it’s not always safe to swim. Polluted water takes up to 24 hours to show up on tests, so you never know for sure if it’s safe. The Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago keeps tabs on water quality and even has daily updates.
So be aware, NU students, and consider hanging on to your meal plan for another quarter.