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Food Handler · Crisis Management and Recalls

Which foodborne illness is most associated with improperly cooked ground beef?

Reviewed by Jordan Morley, Editorial Lead at 247SimpleTests. Written by the 247SimpleTests Editorial Team from the official source material cited on every question.

Correct answer

E. coli O157:H7 (Shiga toxin-producing E. coli) — associated with undercooked ground beef; ground meat mixes surface bacteria throughout, so it must reach 155°F internal temperature

  1. A Botulism
  2. B Hepatitis A
  3. C Listeria
  4. D E. coli O157:H7 (Shiga toxin-producing E. coli) — associated with undercooked ground beef; ground meat mixes surface bacteria throughout, so it must reach 155°F internal temperature

Why this is the answer

E. COLI O157:H7 AND GROUND BEEF: Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC), including O157:H7, is strongly associated with undercooked GROUND beef.

Why ground meat: On a whole cut of beef, bacteria are only on the surface (which reaches high temperature when seared); GRINDING mixes surface bacteria throughout the meat, so the interior can harbor pathogens — this is why ground beef must reach 155°F (68°C) for 17 seconds, higher than the 145°F for whole cuts.

Symptoms: Severe abdominal cramps, bloody diarrhea; can cause hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), a life-threatening kidney complication, especially in children and the elderly.

Low infectious dose: Very few organisms can cause illness.

Prevention: Cook ground beef to 155°F; prevent cross-contamination; source from approved suppliers; OTHER PATHOGEN ASSOCIATIONS to know: Salmonella (poultry, eggs); Norovirus (ready-to-eat foods touched by ill handlers); Listeria (deli meats, soft cheeses, refrigerated ready-to-eat); Vibrio (raw shellfish); Hepatitis A (ready-to-eat foods, contaminated handlers); food managers must know pathogen-food associations to target prevention.

Source: Food Manager — Foodborne Illness, E. coli and Ground Beef

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About this topic: Crisis Management and Recalls

Crisis management covers power failures, water outages, sewage backups, fires and product recalls — when operations must stop, how to protect or discard food, and how to handle a recalled product on the premises. This is one of 8 Food Manager questions on crisis management and recalls, each with a full explanation on a single study page.

New to this exam? Our Food Handler exam guide explains the format, scoring, and how to prepare.

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