usda inspected, e. coli approved: mass media’s role in shifting responsibility and perpetuating e....

USDA Inspected, E. coli ApprovedUSDA Inspected, E. coli Approved:: Mass Media’s Role in Shifting Responsibility and perpetuating E. Mass Media’s Role in Shifting Responsibility and perpetuating E. coli in ground beefcoli 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.

1884- Bureau of Animal Industry Act

1906 - Federal Meat Inspection Act

1967 - Wholesome Meat Act1994 - FSIS declares E. coli

O157:H7 an adulterant in ground beef

1994 - Microbiological testing program for E. coli O157:H7

1996 - HACCP system mandated

1999 - USDA allows irradiation of raw meat

2004 - 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.

Actions

0

0.05

0.1

0.15

0.2

0.25

0.3

0.35

0.4

0.45

Gov policy Gov agency Meat producer Meat slaughter Food handler Consumer

Actors

Normalized value of action

1)Jack in the Box 92-93 • lbs meat recalled: O• # of people sick: 700• # of people dead: 42)Hudson Foods 1997• lbs meat recalled: 25 mil• # of people sick:18• # of people dead: 03)Topps Brand 2006• lbs of meat recalled: <22 mil• # of people sick: 30• # of people dead: 0

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. 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 You RegulationsE. coli O157:H7

My Case Studies

Methodology Findings & Implications

Contamination along the commodity chain

Actions minus cricisms

0

0.05

0.1

0.15

0.2

0.25

0.3

0.35

0.4

0.45

Gov policy Gov agency Meat producer Meat slaughter Food handler Consumer

Actors

Normalized value of action

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 - 149 articles

2. Hudson Foods outbreak - 104 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. 1995. 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), 382-389. doi:10.5455/vetworld.2010.382-389Lashley, Felissa R., and Jerry D. Durham. 2007. Emerging infectious diseases trends and issues. New York: Springer Pub. Co. http://site.ebrary.com/id/10176167. Mamadouh, Virginie. 1999. "Grid-group cultural theory: an introduction". GeoJournal. 47 (3): 395-409.Nestle, Marion. 2003. Safe food: bacteria, biotechnology, and bioterrorism. Berkeley, CA: University of California Press.

Rachel Lupberger

ENVS Thesis Spring 2013

Rachel Lupberger

ENVS Thesis Spring 2013