A new study estimates that nearly one in five urinary tract infections in Southern California may be caused by E. coli strains transmitted through contaminated meat—and pose a hidden foodborne risk to millions of people not just in California but across the US.
  • DearOldGrandma@lemmy.worldEnglish
    215·
    2 days ago

    Seriously. Sex is already dirty, help your partner by maintaining your hygiene. But seriously wash any raw meat you buy or butcher, and be careful of who cooks your food.

    Edit: People assuming I don’t keep a clean kitchen and that I wash raw meat under a running faucet.

    • otp@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
      1·
      16 minutes ago

      People assuming I don’t keep a clean kitchen and that I wash raw meat under a running faucet.

      Most washing is done under a running faucet, no? Or otherwise running water.

    • otp@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
      16·
      2 days ago

      I only learned that “Washing” meat was a thing from people saying “Washing your meat is actually bad”. I never knew anyone to do this, and it sounds absurd to me.

      • chonglibloodsport@lemmy.worldEnglish
        9·
        2 days ago

        Washing meat is pretty common in Chinese cooking. It’s not done over the tap however. Meat is fully immersed in cold water and soaked for a while, then pulled out, squeezed to drip-dry, then the water discarded. This helps to wash off any juices or blood and results in a cleaner taste. It can also help improve marinade results and further improve flavour (ostensibly by reducing the amount of off flavours).

        • otp@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
          2·
          22 minutes ago

          Oh damn, that makes a lot more sense. I feel like there should be a different word than “Washing” for that, haha

        • DearOldGrandma@lemmy.worldEnglish
          2·
          2 days ago

          That’s very similar to what I meant lol. Not sure why everyone assumes it’s bad to do. Like with a lot of things, there’s a right way and a wrong way to do it.

      • AA5B@lemmy.worldEnglish
        73·
        2 days ago

        Think of it this way

        1. You don’t get sick from the bacteria, you get sick from their excretions
        2. Their excretions are on the outer surface (prove this to yourself by letting a piece of meat rot and see that it gets slimy on the outside)
        3. Therefore removing the excretions from the outer surface can make a piece of meat safer. Washing seems like it would do that

        It can seem very compelling, it can seem like it ought to be true. It used to be commonly recommended.

        • otp@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
          1·
          18 minutes ago

          I think 1 is inaccurate – bacteria themselves (not just their excretions) can make you sick.

          I think the idea is that the bacteria are supposed to be too cold to multiply and make their excretions by the time you cook the meat (and thus kill them off), so unless the meat is already spoiled, cooking alone would be fine.