What is E. Coli?

Escherichia coli are more commonly known as E. coli. It is a bacterium that lives in the intestines of humans. Not all forms of E. coli are harmful. The non-harmful strains of this bacteria work to help the body digest and break down the foods that we eat. However, there are certain strains of the bacteria that are harmful to humans and can cause illness and infection.

The harmful type of E. coli can cause symptoms such as diarrhea, vomiting, stomach pain and painful stomach cramps. There may even be blood in bowel movements. If you believe you may be infected with E. coli, your health care provider can perform some tests to determine if you are infected.

Harmful strains of E. coli can infect the foods that we eat. Vegetables and beef are the most common forms of foods where the bacteria can be found if they are not properly grown and treated.

But how does E. coli get into these foods in the first place?

Cows and cattle often times have strains of the bacteria in their intestines just like humans. When the cows have a bowel movement and leave manure, the bacteria can be in the manure. If the manure is then used as fertilizer to grow vegetables or for the grass the cows eat, the bacteria can infect the vegetables and grass. The cows eat the infected grass and then the bacteria can become harmful when beef from the cow is consumed by humans. Raw vegetables that are not washed that are grown in fields fertilized by the contaminated manure can also cause the harmful form of the bacterial to be ingested by humans.

There are several different things we can do to help prevent becoming infected with the harmful strains of E. coli. The bacteria can be killed by heat. Cooking beef so that it is no longer pink in the middle kills the bacteria. Raw vegetables should be washed thoroughly before consuming them. You can also steam or boil the vegetables after washing to ensure that the bacteria are completely killed.

Washing your hands with anti-bacteria soap and hot water before eating and after using the bathroom also helps to control the spread of the bacteria.