Sometimes meat is worth the risk

Sometimes meat is worth the risk

WBEZ brings you fact-based news and information. Sign up for our newsletters to stay up to date on the stories that matter.
Original Solly cheeseburger with sirloin patty, butter, stewed onions, and American cheese at Solly's Grille in Milwaukee, Wisconsin (WBEZ/Louisa Chu)
And the losers are: ground beef and chicken. Those are the meats most likely to make you sick with severe foodborne illness cased by bacteria according to a study released today by the Center for Science in the Public Interest. The non-profit advocate for nutrition, health, and food safety reviewed more than 33,000 cases of foodborne illness over a 12 year period.
Of course this is a complex issue with infinite variables. It starts at your meat source and ends at your plate.

How can you reduce your risk? (Other than not eating ground beef or chicken.) CSPI senior food safety attorney Sarah Klein recommends safe food handling and a thermometer.

I recommend the Thermapen on the high end ($96) and ProAccurate Large Dial on the low ($8.99).

Most importantly wash your hands, but not your meat. Even the USDA says so. By the time you’ve cooked your food to the recommended temperatures, you’ve killed the bacteria that might make you sick.
But the meats least likely to make you sick: chicken nuggets, sausage, and ham.
Risky Business, Joel’s father
Follow Louisa Chu @louisachu.
Solly's Grille in Milwaukee, Wisconsin (WBEZ/Louisa Chu)